


RWBY: Ember Legacy

by dongyrn



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Everything Is Better With Dragons, F/F, F/M, Family, Fantasy Dragon AU, Freezerburn - Freeform, Friendship, Ladybug - Freeform, Renora, Seriously everything, Team Sloth Represent, There Be Dragons Here, arkos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-08-18 05:38:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 162,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8151026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dongyrn/pseuds/dongyrn
Summary: Ruby begins her quest to search for a magical artifact, while Yang continues to look for her long-lost sister. Together they might just be able to save all of Remnant, with the help of a few companions along the way. (Dragon Fantasy AU.) Rated M for future femslash lemon scenes and some visceral gore.





	1. War’s Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Standard Disclaimer: All rights belong to those whose rights they belong to, primarily the glorious minds at Rooster Teeth, though quite namely not me. Don’t own a thing.

******Twelve Years Ago**

The Silver Dragon soared through the air, circling the site of the recent battle warily. Her argent scales shined across her sleek, lithe form, though comparatively speaking her torso alone was larger than a decent-sized house, her jaws wide enough to swallow an adult cow whole. Massive fires below lifted her pearlescent wings on currents of hot air, and her sensitive nose picked up on the stench of roasted flesh.

_Oum’s blood. I’m too late._

Her sharp vision could pick out the pyres of humanoid corpses, as well as several ruined and torn bodies of Dragons. A few of the younger Reds and Onyxs, a couple of the brutish Browns, a pair of Silvers…

As her large orbs alighted on the massive, unmoving body of an aged, giant Gold Dragon, her heart seized up.

_Oh, my love… I am so sorry…_

And then her eyes narrowed as she spied a gargantuan figure at the end of the scorched clearing as it rose up, stretching its wings out to almost encompass the entire battlefield. It’s dark crimson scales seemed to flicker in the light of the burning foliage and humanoid remains, colossal muscles bunching as it stretched almost languidly

_Ember. So you still live, you bastard._

She alighted across from the ancient Red, her talons digging into the remains of friend and foe alike. Her implacable enemy seemed to regard her idly, though she noted that the battle itself had taken a toll on him. Several gashes rent his scales across his torso, and his left wing was slightly tattered, hindering his flight. His chest heaved like massive bellows as the venerable Red Dragon sucked in great gulps of air, enough so that the remaining trees around him swayed as if from a stiff breeze.

“Come to surrender to me?” Ember asked mildly, his sepulchral voice echoing off of the distant mountains.

The Silver’s lip curled slightly in a sneer. “I think not.” Her voice was hardened in resolve and rang out defiantly.

“I would have thought you to be here earlier, at your Mate’s side,” he rumbled with a note of dark humor. “And yet here you are now, late to the party. One small little Silver against… _me_.” His chuckle was the sound of boulders grinding against one another.

“Where is the Orb, Ember?” she demanded, eyes flashing in fury at the mention of her slain Mate.

“Why, with my own Mate, of course,” he replied humorously. “I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with me, first.”

“That was my intention.”

They slowly circled the clearing, heedless of the terrain or corpses that were ground under their massive paws. Though the Red was indeed ancient, he was also cunning beyond all measure, and cognizant that he had been weakened from the battle earlier. This upstart Silver, a thorn in his side for some time now, was fresh enough that she might pose a threat. And so he resolved to keep her talking for awhile longer while his impressive pool of Aura replenished.

“Why do you fight me?” he asked, interjecting a note of genuine perplexion into his voice. “You know these puny humans and the like are a blight upon the land, they deserve extermination! Search your heart for the truth of this!”

She snorted, the great gust of air kicking up debris. “My heart tells me you are wrong, and I shall forevermore fight to preserve the Balance.”

The ancient Red swung his head in a human-like gesture of dismay. “Such arrogance, even for a Dragon. What do you possibly hope to accomplish? You may be faster and more agile, but still smaller and younger than I.”

The Silver paused near where she’d landed earlier, her enhanced senses picking up on a welcome development. _Finally, we can finish this._

She grinned a toothy smile at the Red, full of anticipation. “That all may be true. But I also have help.”

The Silver Dragon turned then, offering an outstretched wing so that a figure might run up and leap onto her neck. It was Human-sized, clad in shining silver armor with a tabard and cloak in the green colors of the Kingdom of Vale. Once the figure was secure in its seating, it held aloft a massive, two-handed sword that shone with a magical light.

“I see,” Ember rumbled irritably. “Well played, little Silver.”

Without further warning, the massive Red launched himself forward with a quick rearward thrust of his wings and powerful legs, his maw opened wide to strike.

The nimble Silver expected the action and with a sharp thrust of her own wings, she sent herself aloft and just out of the Red’s reach.

“Hang on!” she shouted over her shoulder. “I need to gain altitude to get the advantage!”

The armor-clad figure nodded, gripping both her scaley mane and the sword determinedly.

She pumped her wings, shooting up into the sky with her Dragon-kind’s typical agility and grace. Glancing back once more, she saw that Ember was ponderously rising as well in her wake, trails of fire and brimstone leaking from his jaws.

“Brace yourself!” she shouted once more before wheeling over on her side and diving down on the massive creature.

She flashed by, scoring deep wounds on his exposed flank with her sharp talons. The Red bellowed in rage and pain, loud enough to rattle the mountaintops in the distance. With another roar of fury, he whipped his head around and fired off a gout of flame, but the Silver was already past and swinging around for another attack.

Twice more she sped by, ripping into the scales and untouched flesh of the hovering ancient Dragon. On the third run, though, he anticipated her strike and managed to latch onto her with his deadly claws. He wasted little time in locking his jaws around her smaller neck.

She screamed in anguish, but still dug all of her talons into the beast, determined to bring him down with her. The armored figure on her back had managed to avoid Ember’s bite, but was now poised to strike the enraged Red.

And strike they did.

With a harsh battle cry, the greatsword flashed in the light of the dying fires below, biting deep into the skull of their opponent. Once more it swung in a mighty overhand blow, and Ember’s right eye burst in rivulets of gore that ran down its face. Again and again the figure struck, digging deep into its head until the damage was enough to dim the creature’s considerable intellect and cunning.

Still he remained locked onto the Silver, now driven past all reasoning, only to hurt, to maim, to kill. Bright red droplets of blood spattered against the ground, sizzling where they landed. Their flight could not continue as they were, however, and the embattled pair of Dragons began to slowly tumble out of the sky.

Before they hit, the Silver gave one final shriek as she dug her talons deep into Ember’s chest, ripping through scale, muscle, and bone in order to slice into the beast’s black heart.

The thunderous impact of their return to the ground felled most of the trees in the vicinity.

And then a heavy silence fell across the scene, as if the very land itself held its breath, shocked by the visceral brutality it had witnessed.

Eventually, though, a silver-armored figure stirred as it rolled over onto its back. With a groan it struggled to sit up, prying its dented and battered helmet off to reveal an elderly-looking Human male with grey hair that was matted to his head with sweat and blood.

Slowly he staggered to his feet, using his gore-stained greatsword to lever himself up. He looked around, as if bewildered to still be alive, before making his slow way over to where the Silver had crashed down.

The armored man paused to consider the remains of the ancient Red nearby, blood leaking from several wounds all over his body, but especially from his chest where his ribcage was shattered and exposed to the elements.

“Oum curse your soul,” he muttered sadly before continuing on.

His pace picked up once he was close enough to note that the Silver still breathed. His knowledge of Dragon anatomy was rudimentary at best, but he was fairly certain that his ally and friend was struggling, and was not long for this world.

Finally, he reached her head, stripping off an armored glove so that he might lay his hand across her blood-stained muzzle.

One dinner-plate-sized eye cracked open to regard the Human, and the barest hint of a smile tugged at the edge of her vast mouth.

“My lady,” he stated brokenly. “We will never forget what you have done, what you have sacrificed for the people of Remnant.”

She let out a soft, wheezing chuckle. “It is all right... my friend. I go to... join my Mate... in the afterlife. You must... promise me something... though…”

“Anything, my lady.”

Her murmured voice was barely audible, but loud enough for him to just make out her words.

“Be… a wise leader… King Ozpin…”

With one final rattling sigh, the Silver died.

The armored man bowed his head. “In Oum’s name, so do I swear it, my lady,” he whispered, the tears from his eyes falling gently upon the silver scales of her brow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! Welcome to my foray into something very new for me, a Dragon Fantasy AU, which also happens to be my 50th published fanfic. And yes, this is pretty much the intro. I only introduced one character, and not even a central one, though the Dragons themselves will have significant relevance later on. Next chapter will bring some more familiar faces to the fore.
> 
> Quick word about the AU world I’ve assembled here. Aura is still a thing, but semblances aren’t so much. Instead Aura is used to power bodily abilities as well as magic, which is a big deal here and replaces the existence of both semblances and Dust. This AU has Faunus, but also many other fantasy races such as Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and the like. Also no Grimm, but there are plenty of other fantasy creatures and monsters to threaten the people of the four Kingdoms.
> 
> As we go along, you’ll be introduced to more Dragon races and how they differ. The most obvious ones from this first chapter are the Reds, who are your typical greedy, cruel, domineering monster with prodigious size (especially the older ones), and the Silvers. The latter are generally one of the smaller breeds but make up for it with speed and agility.
> 
> So, I have a general direction I want to take this, and from the synopsis you also have an idea of the characters I intend to bring in. Most of them will be relatively unchanged, but a few will have some special surprises when we get to them. And yes, as indicated, this is gonna be a bit more of a mature tale full of violence and sex. Plus a few plot twists that may or may not be obvious. Also, yes there will be eventual pairings (and one right off from the start). No, I’m not gonna tell.


	2. Journey’s Beginning

**Volume 1**

**Kingdom of Vale**

“It simply isn't an adventure worth telling if there aren't any dragons.”   
~ J.R.R. Tolkien   


Ruby blinked her eyes open, staring up at the ceiling from where she lay in bed. She considered the rough-hewn beams solemnly while her brain kicked into gear.

With a soft sigh she sat up, dropping her bare feet to the floor and wiggled her toes, smiling at the sensation of sawdust under her. Then she stood with a sudden stretch, her mouth yawning widely as her arms curled up together over her head, fingers entwined.

Her short stature belied the lithe, graceful, and rather powerfully-muscled limbs that she extended outward to work out the kinks. The brunette blew her red-tipped bangs out of her face as she bent over, taut abdominals bunching up as she did so.

With a quiet groan, she finished making herself presentable, then quickly packed up what meager belongings she traveled with into her knapsack and lifted her weapon up in her hand, regarding it with a grin.

“Today’s the day,” she whispered to the oddly-shaped metallic lump. Her magical construct was quite unassuming in its current portable form, but when she extended it with the proper phrase spoken, _Crescent Rose_ was a thing of beauty to behold.

She giggled to herself softly. Well, a thing of beauty to herself, not so much those on the receiving end.

“After all, beauty is in the eye of the holder,” she quipped, striding out of the room and closing the door behind her. “Or is that beholder? I’m never quite sure on that point.”

Her scarlet red cloak trailed out behind her, tall black boots with subtle red trim clomping across the floor. Black tights were tucked into them, covered by a short, flared-out skirt that was a bit unlike most of the clothing she’d seen so far hereabouts. Still, it was her look, and she was happy with it. A red-trimmed back corset completed the ensemble, along with a wide black belt that supported her inconspicuous weapon at the small of her back.

With slow, sure strides she made her way down the narrow hallway and to the stairs that led to the main room of the tavern. The establishment was called The Crow’s Rest, a respectable-enough looking place that was her initial stop inside the Kingdom of Vale.

The first step in her Life Quest.

Her silver eyes glimmered in the firelight, the large blaze roaring cheerfully from an open pit in the center of the large room. Round tables encircled the centerpiece, stretching out to the windowless walls and up to the long bar that stretched across the near side. Behind the bar was a swinging door that led to the kitchen where breakfast preparations were well underway. The tavern dining area itself, however, was only a quarter of the way full.

Satisfied that nothing too far out of the ordinary awaited her, Ruby continued the rest of the way down, offering a small smile to the innkeeper's daughter, a young teenaged Human by the name of Elise.

“Good morning, m’lady!” the bubbly blonde girl called out. “Please sit where you like, I’ll be by shortly!”

She nodded in return, striding over to sit in the nearest unoccupied table to the fire. Ruby didn’t really need the warmth, aside from the fact that the chill of winter was only just now beginning to send its icy tendrils across the land. But she liked the light more than the shadows. It suited both her personality and her mood better.

Ruby hadn’t been seated for long before Elise ran over to her and took her order. “Tall glass of milk, eggs, and bacon, please.”

“Yes, m’lady! Oh, would you like grits with your order? They’re real fresh!”

The brunette hid her shudder rather well, “No, thank you.”

 _A more vile concoction I have never experienced,_ she thought to herself grimly. How these Valesians were able to choke that pasty mush down and enjoy it was a source of continual wonderment.

“Or perhaps they only try to foist it upon unsuspecting tourists,” she giggled softly, leaning back in her chair and looking around at the room.

Many of the room’s occupants she’d seen the night before, some of them travelers and some local. A small group of hardy but dour Dwarves on their way out into the wilderness to try their hands at prospecting. A mixed group of weary Humans and Gnomes, all female, who seemed to work locally from the lack of travel wear and the general state of their clothing, perhaps just getting off of a night shift. A number of hooded figures sitting off by themselves, preferring their privacy but not sending off any adverse vibes to the small brunette. Her gaze swept across them, uninterested, but was suddenly riveted by the sight of pale skin and even paler alabaster hair.

_Oh, now this is promising…_

The small slip of a girl looked to be hardly even of majority age, until she turned her head slightly to take a drink from her cup of what looked to be tea. And then she could see the tiny pointed ear tips that just barely escaped from the mane of silky-looking white hair that flowed straight down her back.

_An Elf?_

Well, this was certainly surprising. What was a girl of Elven heritage doing here in this out-of-the way tavern? And, judging from her ornamental white jacket and matching skirt, she was fairly well-off. Then Ruby’s silver eyes narrowed, picking up on the subtle stitching of runes on that jacket, along the sleeves and on the back.

 _Not just an Elf... A mage_ , she thought to herself excitedly. Oh, yes, this was excellent indeed…

She was idly wondering whether or not she’d be breaking some sort of protocol by going over and striking up a conversation, when the option was taken out of her hands. A trio of burly men stood up from a table in the corner, mercenaries by the look of them and possibly from the caravan that had passed through earlier. They wore rough trousers and chainmail, with cheap steel swords belted at their waist.

Truthfully Ruby had pretty much ignored them as non-threats earlier, but she was interested in how this Elven mage handled them, as they didn’t look to be in the mood for polite conversation.

“Hey there, girlie,” the Human in the middle rasped as they approached the Elf from behind. “You look lonely. How ‘bout you come up to our room and we show you a good time, yeah?”

Ruby’s eye roll was echoed by the seated white-haired girl, which made her snicker softly.

The Elf looked around, her ice-blue eyes flashing in irritation, and sized up the three grinning men. Then, without even moving from her seat, she flicked her hand to the side, causing each of them to stumble backwards as if some unseen force had pushed them. Another flick, and their feet were suddenly encased in ice.

“Do not bother me again,” she said in a clear, high-pitched voice.

The brunette grinned widely at their discomfiture, and laced her hands behind her head, knowing the show wasn’t over by a long shot. They were far too stupid for that.

“You little bitch!” the one in the middle snarled again, drawing his sword. “You’ll pay for that!”

The white-clad girl stiffened at the sound of steel rasping against leather, and slowly swiveled her head around again. Briefly her gaze crossed Ruby’s, and they locked eyes for an instant, long enough for the brunette to shoot her a cheeky wink, earning her an eye-roll of her own.

“Oh, yeah,” Ruby chuckled lightly. “I like this one.”

Ever so slowly, the Elf stood up, her small stature not intimidated in the slightest by the taller mercenary. Her tall white riding boots were now evident, coming up past her knees. Ruby quickly noted that, unlike the usual wand or staff that most mages carried as a focus for their Aura and magic, she had a slim and deadly-looking rapier at her waist, her right hand resting on it. As she flicked her hand once more, releasing the lout from his icy constraints, the brunette also picked up on the faint glow that emanated from her weapon.

_So, her sword functions as her wand as well… Oum’s blood, this girl is full of surprises! Let’s see if she handles that rapier as well as I think she will…_

Sure enough, the freed mercenary had barely taken two steps, his sword raised furiously, before the mage darted past in a blur of white. She’d drawn her weapon in her left hand as she passed, and had made two quick slashes before he even managed to try and react.

By that point, all he was capable of was slumping to the floor, clutching at his ruined throat and gurgling piteously as his life spilled down his front and onto the wooden beams below him.

The Elf didn’t even spare her fallen opponent a glance, simply glared at the remaining two men. With a contemptuous flick of her free wrist, the ice holding them disappeared.

“Well?” she asked imperiously.

Understandably, the both of them fled with all due haste.

She nodded in satisfaction, sheathing her rapier and then turning with distaste to note the blood now seeping under the table where she’d sat. Her pert nose wrinkled as she bent over to pick up her tea, then shifted to regard Ruby levelly.

The brunette’s smirk widened as she gestured grandly to the open seat at her table.

“Thank you, my lady,” the white-haired girl said deferentially as she gracefully slid into her seat.

Ruby shrugged. “Men. What can you do, huh?”

“My thoughts precisely,” the mage grumbled, taking a sip from her cup. Just then Elise came up with Ruby’s order, shooting the Elf a dark look as she’d now need to clean up the blood and body.

The other girl smiled slightly, slipping a few lien notes across the table. “I apologize for the mess,” she stated levelly.

Elise’s frown disappeared as quickly as the lien did down the front of the dress. “Oh, it’s not a bother, m’lady.” With a quick curtsy, the young blonde jogged off for a mop and bucket.

“So, then,” the brunette began, still smiling in as friendly a manner as she could. “My name’s Ruby.”

The girl quirked an ivory eyebrow as she regarded her. “Just Ruby?”

“Just Ruby,” she nodded amicably.

“Hmm. A pleasure, Ruby. I am Weiss, Weiss Schnee.”

“Well, Weiss Schnee, what is a northern Elf from the hinterlands of Atlas doing here in Vale?”

The mage paused in her motion before placing her cup gently back on the table. “You are surprisingly well-informed.”

“Nope, just observant.”

“I see… Well, as it happens, I have been here for a year, studying under the Royal Mage, Lady Glynda.”

“Ahhh, the Iron Mage. I hear she’s quite the disciplinarian.”

Weiss grimaced slightly. “Yes… That reputation is well-deserved. Still, I did learn quite a bit from her.”

“And now?”

The white-haired mage met Ruby’s piercing gaze with her own ice-blue orbs. “What do you mean?” she murmured calmly.

“Well,” Ruby continued, “seems to me that you’ve been speaking of Lady Glynda in past terms. So you’re in between engagements, right?”

“Very observant indeed.” Weiss sighed. “Yes, I am indeed without a current engagement. I had thought to return home, but… I have not seen enough of this country.” Her gaze drifted over to the door leading outside. “Not much at all past the palace, I’m afraid.”

“You wanna?”

Her sharp eyes met Ruby’s once more. She stared at her wordlessly, as if measuring her worth.

Deciding that the time was ripe, Ruby leaned forward slightly. “I am on a quest,” she began softly but with an undeniable earnestness. “I have just started today, in fact, as it is my first day within Vale. I cannot do this alone, however, and I seek companions to accompany me.” She grinned then, widely and full of mirth. “You wanna be the first?”

Weiss tapped the table in front of her thoughtfully. “And what is this… quest?”

 _Almost hooked…_ “It is my Life Quest,” she stated solemnly. “To find the Orb of Azure.”

The white-haired girl blinked at her uncertainly. “You’re joking,” she finally stated flatly.

“Nope, not at all.”

“That is a fool’s errand,” Weiss scoffed, sitting back in her seat. “It’s never been found.”

Ruby nodded amicably as she sat back as well. “True enough.” She took a long pull from her glass of milk and smacked her lips contentedly before placing it back on the table. “But I actually know where it’s located.”

The other girl’s skeptical expression didn’t abate whatsoever. “Really?”

“Well… not _exactly_ where it is, but I know where to find the last two puzzle pieces.”

“And why should I trust you?”

The brunette grinned widely, holding her hands out to encompass the room. “Do you have any better prospects for adventure? Or would you rather just head home?”

Weiss chewed on her lip, brow furrowed in thought. Ruby waited patiently while taking another bite of her eggs, inwardly smirking. _Come on, take the bait, you know you can’t resist it…_

“I’m afraid I do not have a horse,” the other girl finally admitted quietly.

 _Yes!_ “Not a problem, Weiss,” she said out loud. “I wasn’t planning on purchasing any until we were ready to travel anyway, but an extra one won’t be an undue burden.”

“I… see. That’s very considerate of you. Er… Is there anything at the end of this quest?”

“You mean, besides finding the Orb?”

Weiss nodded firmly, her resolve strengthening. “I will not help you in such an endeavour if it is to merely add to the dusty collection of some minor noble.”

“Nope,” the brunette smiled once more. “As soon as I get the Orb, it gets returned to the rightful owner, the King of Vale.”

“Very well, then.” Weiss extended a slim hand towards Ruby, the pointed tips of her ears pinkening in excitement as much as her pale blue eyes twinkled with humor. “I accept your offer to join you in your quest, Ruby. I shall not let you down.”

Ruby clasped the mage’s hand in her own. “I don’t imagine you shall.” Once she’d released the hand, her grin widened. “We’re gonna have so much fun!” she suddenly squealed.

“Honestly, Ruby,” the white-haired Elf grumbled. “You go from proper aristocratic formality to a child in the blink of an eye.”

“Eh, it’s all part of my charming personality.”

“...I don’t think so.”

“It is, really. You get used to it.”

“If you say so.”

Ruby picked up a piece of bacon, waving it in the Elven mage’s direction. “You want a piece?”

“Er, no.”

“Sure?”

“I do not eat… pork.”

“Your loss, Weissy, your loss…”

“And that is the last time you shall call me that.”

Ruby smirked. “You betcha.”

_Yep, we’re off to an awesome start. I got powerhouse magic, now I just need some muscle, a little finesse, and a healer… This fellowship is coming along just fine…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I introduce each of the familiar faces from the show, some of them will be more or less the same, while others will have some… differences. Like here, with Weiss being an Elf. Others will be a little more subtle, others more drastic. And more will only show their differences further down the line.


	3. To Catch A Thief

**Volume 1**

**City of Vale**

“When it comes to fighting for your dreams, be a dragon. Breathe fire.”   
~ Richelle E. Goodrich

 

Blake Belladonna had been casing out the unassuming apartment for some time now. The Cat Faunus had decided that tonight was the night. The apartment’s occupant hadn’t been seen for a few days, and if her sources were correct, she was out on some business somewhere.

 _I wish I could tell for sure if she really is a wealthy merchant, or a nobleman’s daughter… Something,_ anything _about her would have been helpful._

But this young blonde woman, seemingly of an age with the raven-haired girl herself, was an enigma. Blake had lived on the streets all her life, and considered herself a rather talented rogue, with far-ranging contacts throughout the kingdom, but absolutely nobody knew anything about her target.

One day, several weeks ago, she simply showed up out of the blue. Little luggage, but with a regal air about her that spoke of wealth.

There just _had_ to be something of value in that apartment. And Blake was determined to be the one to find it, before any other scoundrels tried to move in first.

The Cat Faunus crouched on the rooftop of the building across the street, her furry ears tilted as she scanned the neighborhood and her long, black tail swishing eagerly behind her.

She loved this, the brink before she sprung into action and robbed some hapless fool blind. There was nothing sweeter than enjoying the fruits of other’s labors, especially the obscenely rich. Her last job, however, had taken a turn for the worse as they’d recently gotten a guard dog that her intelligence had missed.

Blake suppressed a shudder at the memory. No, she was giving the wealthy quarter a wide berth for a while, too many people had seen her face as she fled in terror from the ravenous beast. But the mercantile quarter, now, had plenty of targets.

And this one was the most promising.

Her Faunus ears twitched at the sound of boots approaching, the sharp clomps ringing against the dimly-lit cobblestone street below. Once she made out the approaching figures, she shrank further back into the shadows. No mere watchmen, these were Knights, and she did not want to tangle with the likes of such opponents.

Her amber eyes poked over the edge of the rooftop, tracking the movement of the quartet of female Knights on foot. Eventually, she could pick out their markings, relaxing somewhat.

“At least they’re from the Order of Artemis,” she sighed softly to herself. Of the many organized so-called chivalrous groups throughout the four kingdoms, the Order of Artemis only accepted females, though without any regard to race, social status, or upbringing. They were widely known as just and fair, certainly not ones to punish a simple rogue like herself with the cutting off of extremities. The Order of the Cardinal was infamous for their harsh sentences, carried out on the spot of their apprehension.

She had a few friends who had run afoul of those monsters in humanoid guise. She clutched her tail to herself protectively at the memory.

Eventually, the four lightly-armored Knights, three Humans led by a purple-haired Elf, rounded the street corner, the long brick-red hair of the last in line passing out of sight. Blake waited for several more minutes even after they’d passed before she stirred.

The slim girl straightened her black vest worn over a dark purple long-sleeved tunic, checked that her black tights were still securely tucked into her flexible, soft black ankle boots, and finally adjusted the knives she carried about her body. She never went without her blades and had a few secreted in some quite unnoticeable places.

Satisfied that she was as ready as she was going to be, Blake took a few steps back, inhaled sharply, and then hurled herself forward. As her foot touched the edge of the rooftop, she sent a boost of her Aura into her jump, soaring through the intervening space with her arms outstretched over the street below.

Truthfully, this was one of the reasons she was so good at her job. She was able to jump further than most in her trade and loved to do so. The feeling of weightlessness as she crossed the open spaces between buildings, for just a brief, fleeting instant, it was almost like she was flying.

Her travel ended all too soon, and she tucked herself into a tight roll, coming to a rest against the parapet on the far side of the roof. Stealthily she traversed back to the street-side, and without further ado, gripped the edge of the roof to somersault down and onto the windowsill of her target.

As she clung to the side of the building, feet resting on the narrow ledge, she pulled out a few of her tools. Blake’s amber eyes narrowed as she traced the outline of the window, checking for the presence of traps or magical runes that would trigger upon opening.

Finding none, she gave a quiet, disappointed grunt. _This had damn well better be worth it._

The Cat Faunus deftly worked the locks, gripping some of the tools in between her teeth while her free hand slipped a slim piece of metal in between the cracks. Without much of a fuss, the lock was picked, and she was able to slide the sill up and slip inside.

_Alright then, what do we have here… Talk to me, little room, show me your goodies…_

She canvassed the study that she found herself in, checking for hidden drawers or secret compartments. Finding nothing, she let out an irritated huff and stared at the only locked compartment there, a drawer of the large desk.

“That is entirely too obvious,” she muttered to herself under her breath.

Shrugging, she knelt in front of the desk and worked open the lock carefully, expecting the worst to occur at anytime.

When it happened, it wasn’t what she was expecting.

“You sure you’re in the right place?” a sleepy voice called out.

Blake spun, a blade already slipped into her hand, as her Faunus eyesight immediately focused on the speaker. It was a buxom blonde, wearing only a mid-length linen shift that left her knees and feet bare. She was scratching the back of her head, her luxurious wavy locks rustling in the dark.

_Oum’s sodding balls, how did I not hear her?_

“What, cat got your tongue?”

Blake glared at the girl, though by the smirk evident she was all too aware of the racial jab.

 _Wait, forget about me not hearing her, how can she even_ see _me?_

“In case you’re wondering…” The blonde paused as she yawned widely. “Yeah, I can see you just fine, the moonlight’s enough for me. Now, what’s your name, kitten?”

Blake growled quietly. That was _quite_ enough disparaging remarks for one night. Her hand whipped forward, throwing her blade out to plunge into the other girl’s shoulder to cover for her escape…

Or it would have, had the blonde’s hand not flashed out to bat the thrown knife away like an annoying insect.

“Well, _that_ was rude,” the girl commented mildly. “And here you’re in my place, acting like that. How am I supposed to be a proper host if you don't tell me your name?”

The Cat Faunus just stared at the woman in shock. _Who is this girl?_

All of her thoughts were now focused on escape, as she definitely did _not_ want to tangle with someone who likely possessed better reflexes than even herself. She spun in place and shot over towards the open window, but skidded to a halt when she noted it was closed.

_Oum’s blood! I left it open, I know I did!_

And now there seemed to be another lock fastened from the inside, one that required a key. She could pick it, without a doubt, but that would take time she did not have. Her other option was to fling herself out the window and brave the four-story drop…

Or try and get past the irritating blonde who was currently not only radiating smugness but tunelessly humming to herself.

Blake straightened up, and as she turned she slipped a knife into both hands. As she stalked forward and approached the completely unworried girl she noted that she had lilac eyes, a kind she’d never seen before.

 _Part Fey perhaps, or Elven? She doesn’t smell like Faunus… I don’t quite know_ what _she smells like… lavender and… woodsmoke…_

The blonde was still smirking, watching her approach with her arms crossed, when Blake got to within arm’s reach. She halted, turning the full force of her glare on the apartment’s occupant.

“Move,” she growled.

“Oh, so you _do_ talk,” the blonde snickered. “I was wondering about that. _Buuut_ … nope. Not moving.”

Before she’d finished her sentence, Blake had launched herself into action. She was a decent enough fighter, could easily hold her own in a bar fight or against most of the riff-raff she came across. She always preferred to fight at range if she could, the few times she took a job that required her to actively engage in combat she’d brought her beloved shortbow with her, the ebony carved wood one of the few precious things she possessed.

But blades, she knew well, and it wasn’t vanity for her to consider herself one of the best knife fighters in the city of Vale.

All that, however, didn’t matter in the least.

It happened faster than she could even track, the whole world tilted around her and she found herself once more in the middle of the room, but now lying on her back and gaping up at the ceiling. Her blades were gone from her hands.

She craned her neck, stunned, to observe the blonde woman standing in the same position but twirling one of her knives in her hand idly.

“Not bad,” she commented. “You’re quick, and pretty damned skilled with a knife. Also stealthy, didn’t even hear you on the rooftop…” She seemed to be deciding something, and when she finally nodded to herself, the blonde walked over to crouch at Blake’s side.

“Tell you what,” she began conversationally. “I could use some help in a quest I’ve been on for a long time. Not getting anywhere by myself, but I bet you got lots of contacts around here, yeah?”

Blake just nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off of the dangerous woman.

“So, what do you say? Want to work for me?”

The Cat Faunus continued to stare at the deranged woman wordlessly.

_Yep. She’s a nutcase, don’t care how talented she is. Although, in this position…_

She hadn’t even let the thought finish before the black-clad rogue was up and sprinting across the room, bolting down the hallway and towards what she desperately hoped was the front door. As she rapidly pulled back the locking bolts and crossbeams, her Faunus ears were listening intently for any sound of pursuit. She managed to get out the door and flew down the staircase, still without any sign of the crazy blonde.

Finally at the bottom she spied the door leading outside the complex. It had a doorkeeper on duty but fortunately someone was just coming in, so she bolted on through, barrelling over those in her way in her haste to escape.

Ignoring the shouts of protest, Blake sped across the street and down the next alleyway, pausing for breath.

“Insane,” she panted. “That woman was absolutely insane.”

“Now, that’s just being mean.”

“Fuck me!” Blake shrieked, flailing about with uncharacteristic clumsiness as she toppled over. For the second time that evening she found herself on her back with a blonde mane of hair hovering over her face, a pair of lilac eyes glinting down at her in amusement.

“Really?” the woman asked skeptically. “You want that as part of your employment contract?”

“No! I mean… Arrrgh!” Blake let out a scream of frustration as she scrambled to her feet, pushing herself up against the brick wall of the alley. Her tail swished behind her erratically as she desperately tried to cling to her sanity. The other girl was still wearing her shift, right out there in public, and didn’t even seem concerned. In fact, standing there barefoot, with her hands on her hips, cocked to the side and a wide smirk on her face, she looked to be having the time of her life.

“Why did you follow me?” the Cat Faunus whispered desperately. “I didn’t even take anything!”

“Nope, but you came pretty damn close,” the blonde grinned. “Here, lemme make this easier for you, since you seem to have trust issues.”

“I don’t have trust issues,” Blake grumbled, her eyes and Faunus ears downcast.

The look on the other girl’s face clearly said ‘ _Really?’_ , but she continued on nonetheless. “My name’s Yang. And I’m serious about the job offer.”

“Why?”

“Er… why what?”

“Why me?” Blake sputtered, at the end of her tether. “What is it you want from me? How do you know you can trust me?”

“Hmm.” Yang seemed to give her line of questioning serious contemplation. Still clad in only her shift and standing out in a darkened alleyway in the middle of an autumn night in downtown Vale, this blonde woman was entertaining a reasonable conversation with her.

_This must be what going mad feels like..._

“Okay, well, in order.” Yang began ticking items off of her fingers. “You, because you were convenient, like, you just tried to rob me so I got to see your skills. Oh, and you also tried to fight me.”

“ _Tried_ to fight you?”

“Well, yeah, you weren’t all that successful, were ya?” The blonde just grinned at Blake’s exasperated eyeroll and continued on. “And then, I already told you what I need. A person who can handle themselves in the shadows, and has contacts.”

Yang crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall next to the Cat Faunus, her lilac eyes twinkling merrily. “And finally, how can I trust you? Well, I got the feeling if I ask you to pledge yourself into my service, you’d be a faithful retainer. But, in case I’m wrong, ‘cause yeah, it does happen…”  She leaned in, grinning widely. “I can find you, wherever you go. You believe me when I say that?”

Trying desperately to conceal her nervous trembling, Blake just nodded warily.

“Good!” the blonde exclaimed cheerfully. “Now, I figure you’re part of the Thief’s Guild here in Vale, am I right? Monthly dues and a cut off your stolen goods?”

“Yes…” she replied slowly, unsure as to how this strange girl was so well-versed in the Valesian underground.

“But no cut from an honest retainer, right?”

“Right, but I still have to pay my dues…”

“Okay, then! So, here’s the deal, I cover your dues, expenses like food, lodging, outfitting, the works. You stick by my side and you get a free ride. Plus, when I finish my quest, you get a bonus.”

Blake’s eyes widened considerably. Most retainers were a flat fee with occasional bonuses for combat, barely covering the dues to the Guild, but this… This was quite the generous offer.

“What’s the catch?” she whispered.

“Well…” Yang shrugged. “I’ve been on this quest for quite a few years now. Like I said, been doing it by myself, and I figure it’s time to change that. Maybe with you helping me, I can actually complete it.”

The raven-haired girl nodded slowly. “So… what is this quest? Are you looking for something?”

“Some _one_ , actually,” Yang replied. “I’m looking for my long-lost sister, same seed but…” She trailed off with a frown. “No, sorry, that’s not right. We share the same father, different mothers, yeah? So that makes her my half-sister.”

Blake nodded once more, perplexed as to the original odd wording but following her so far.

“If you’re really interested, then come back up to my place and we’ll talk, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied softly.

With a nod and another grin, Yang turned and began to walk back out of the alley.

“Blake.”

The blonde paused, looking over her shoulder quizzically.

“My name,” she continued. “Blake Belladonna.”

Yang turned then and flashed her a brilliant smile. “Well, Blake, it’s been a pleasure to meet you. Come on, let’s get back inside before I give some poor old man walking out this late a fit.”

Snickering softly to herself, Blake followed in her new employer’s footsteps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here’s our next two players to fill out those from Team RWBY! Oh, and a brief cameo by Team NDGO (but they’ll make another appearance later, promise).
> 
> First off, I need to give belated props to my lovely Betas for this story, KellyConnely and PandaAnimeLover, who are patiently putting up with my insanity for yet another story. I promise not to stress your mental limits this time. Honest.
> 
> To address a point by Wolfenheart regarding Weiss’ casual lethality - this is indeed a different setting from RWBY, where Grimm do not exist. Therefore there isn’t a clear delineation between those without souls and those who have them. It’s certainly more brutal, so in that regard there will be a definite deviation from the characterization of the show. Not all monsters here look the part.
> 
> Next chapter we meet another pair, with perhaps a more… unexpected twist.


	4. Champion’s Honor

**Volume 1**

**Kingdom of Vale**

“There wasn't a colloquial phrase, or curse, that went something like, ‘May your day be full of angry dragons’ or, ‘May every dragon you meet today be pissed off.’ But, there should have been.”   
~ Michelle Sagara West, Cast in Ruin

 

“ _Ohhh_ , look at that one, a half-hilt halberd! Bet _that_ would cleave an Orc in two!”

Weiss just shook her white-maned head with an amused smile. Her employer and companion had been prattling pretty much nonstop ever since they’d stepped out of the tavern. Both were now dressed for the road, with field packs and blankets slung across their backs. The Elven mage had her light blue traveling cloak settled across her shoulders now, though her right hand stayed clasped on the hilt of _Myrtenaster_ as a precaution.

The blatantly cheerful brunette girl certainly seemed to be enjoying herself as they made their way through the center of town. She had a skewer of some sort of meat in one hand that she used to point out things of interest, which for the most part consisted of either arms or armor. Which, truthfully, she found to be rather remarkable considering she had yet to see Ruby with a weapon of her own.

Speaking of which…

“If you do not mind me asking,” the Elven mage interjected into yet another excited rant about how kite shields were only superior to round shields in a sword fight. “What precisely do you fight with?”

“Oh, you mean my sweetheart?” Ruby replied with a cheeky grin. “I made her myself, crafted and enchanted. Can’t break her out just yet, though, not inside the town.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “They kinda got upset with me the last time I did. Best not to ask.”

“Er… very well…” Weiss glanced at her, perplexed. This Human was certainly unlike any she had ever known, boisterous and somewhat foolhardy one moment, but refined and commanding the next. She was a conundrum that simultaneously irritated and intrigued her, but she’d had all eighty years of her lifetime to learn patience. This brunette girl would not even begin to test her limits.

“Oh, sweet mother of Oum, look! It’s a double-headed flail! That is _sooo_ cool!”

Though she might come close.

They paused in front of the crowded main market square as Ruby peered about, her earlier jubilance now replaced with a certain amount of cunning.

“Alright, then,” she began, her silver eyes shining bright. “We have a few stops to make. Foodstuffs and, I’m guessing, spell components for you should be readily available. I’d rather wait on any camping gear until we gather more followers, plus they’ll be cheaper out by the stables.”

Weiss nodded hesitantly. “Very well. Shall we split up?”

“No, let’s keep together. Lots of shady-type folk around here.” Ruby grinned then, the exuberant girl poking through once more. “Nothing we can’t handle, though!”

The Elf sighed and rolled her eyes, but stuck close to the heels of her employer. Sure enough, the young Human was able to quickly navigate through the bustling marketplace and find the best deals on items such as dried meats and fruits, soup stock, and spices.

As they approached a stall that had the symbol of the Wizard’s Guild over it, signifying that it was an accredited seller of spell components and the like, Ruby suddenly stopped in her tracks and whirled around. The brunette deftly slipped past Weiss and grabbed a small Wolf Faunus boy by the scruff of his tunic and hauled him backwards.

“None of that, now,” she declared sternly, her silver eyes flashing darker, almost to a stormy grey. “Hand it over.”

With a pitiful squeak of noise, the boy pulled out a coin purse from his tunic. It was made of white cloth, the width of an apple.

“My purse!” Weiss protested incredulously.

The Faunus boy looked terrified, knowing that once caught his very life was forfeit, not to mention any appendage that the thief-catchers might desire to sever from him.

However, Ruby just let out an amused snort, setting him back on the ground. “Be more careful next time regarding who you choose as a mark, got me?”

The boy nodded and scurried off into the crowd without a backwards glance.

With a grin, Ruby handed the coin purse back to its rightful owner. “Keep hold of that, now,” she snarked quietly, brushing past the Elf once more.

Weiss tucked it back into the folds of her cloak, staring after the strange girl in wonderment. _How could she even notice I was pickpocketed?_

With a shake of her head, the white-haired mage jogged forward to join her companion at the spell stall. The proprietor was eyeing Ruby somewhat suspiciously until Weiss stepped up, tucking strands of hair behind a delicately-pointed ear as she’d left it unbound for the day.

The two mages exchanged brief pleasantries while the brunette poked at a few assorted scrolls and potions that lined the side of the display.

“Am I to assume this… girl is with you?” the man, a gangly robed man with a rather scraggly beard inquired haughtily. “Hopefully not an apprentice, for your sake.”

“Nope, not an apprentice,” Ruby replied cheerfully, though she never took her eyes off of the magical items. “But yes, I am her companion. How much?”

The man gazed at the scroll which she’d seemingly pointed to at random. “Do you even know what that is for?”

At that, the brunette raised her gaze up to bore into the snobby shopkeeper. Her eyes were definitely darker now, as if storm clouds swirled and raged within. The man gulped and took an involuntary step back.

“How. Much?” she repeated, steel underlying her words this time.

“Er, one hundred lien.”

“Seventy-five.”

“This is not a place to haggle, young-”

“This particular scroll,” Ruby began heatedly, “cost you ten lien in components to make, plus time and effort. Including the Guild’s fees, it would still come in at forty lien. That’s thirty-five lien profit, more than adequate.” She paused, eyebrows raised inquiringly. “Of course, I’m sure there are other, more reasonable sellers to be found…”

“Sorry, my apologies, I mistook the scroll you indicated,” the man backpedaled rapidly. “Yes, seventy-five is perfectly adequate. Er, will there be anything else?”

Ruby glanced aside at Weiss with a wry grin that she returned. Now that the man wasn’t of a mind to swindle them further, she quickly picked out the items that she needed to restore her supply, including some fire crystals and powdered winter lotus. As an afterthought, she threw in a pair of healing potions as her own curative magic was rather paltry.

Her employer readily fished out the sum owed, and while the Elven mage stored her new purchases in her shoulder bag, the brunette tucked her new scroll away deep into her knapsack.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking... “ Weiss murmured as they walked along the path, away from the busy market. “What scroll was it that you bought?”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” her companion giggled lightly. “It’s a scroll for weapon enchantments. Never know when I might want another one.”

Weiss sighed softly as she glanced at the brunette out of the corner of her eye. “You truly are obsessed about weapons, are you not?”

“Yep, so I’ve been told. Oh, hey, can we talk about yours now?”

“My… weapon?”

“Right, your rapier. It’s a focus for you, right, like a wand? Did you buy it?”

The white-haired girl shook her head slowly, the fingers of her right hand caressing the hilt of her sword lightly. “No, _Myrtenaster_ had been in my clan for generations.”

“Hmm, so for Elves, that would easily make it thousands of years old, right?”

“Correct. And yes, it is my focus, but I’m the first to come along in some time who could wield both magic and a rapier with skill enough to be worthy.”

Ruby nodded her head sagely. “Very impressive. I only got a quick look at it, but it’s a nice work of craftsmanship, only seen a few like it.”

“Really?” the Elven mage snorted. “I haven’t seen the likes of this before. It is unique.”

“What, you think you carry the only Dragonforged weapon on Remnant?” Ruby scoffed lightly.

Weiss halted in her tracks, staring at the brunette incredulously. “What did you say?” she breathed.

The brunette stopped as well, looking back in confusion. “What, you think that…”

“No, what did you call this? Dragonforged?”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve seen a few. Only the strongest of enchantments can be held in a Dragonforged weapon, you know.”

Weiss drew out her rapier slowly with her left hand, gazing at it in newfound wonder. “I always thought it was of Elven work…”

“Nope, sorry, you guys do know your enchantments really well, but not at that level. The whole thing, from construction to finish, was done as a single process.” Ruby used her index finger to trace a line along the basket hilt, careful not to actually touch the elegant sword. “See? No seams, just one continuous piece of metal, practically unbreakable. And making it a focus for magic and aura as well? Definitely the work of Dragons.”

“Oum preserve me,” Weiss breathed, blinking her eyes. “I… Thank you, Ruby, for imparting this information to me.”

“Not a problem, Weiss!” she replied cheerfully. “We’re traveling companions now, and friends too, I hope. Or at least we will be soon!”

With a wink, Ruby turned and continued on their path, the Elven mage trailing behind her bemusedly as she sheathed her ancestral weapon once more.

_This strange Human girl definitely bears careful observation. Her antics may be… childish, but her knowledge has surprising depth._

As they neared the edge of the marketplace, the two women began to hear sounds of a commotion. A crowd had gathered ahead of them, seemingly centered around some sort of conflict just to the side of the cobblestone street.

Weiss glanced around curiously, noting the presence of several Valesian guardsmen who were watching the gathering, seemingly unconcerned.

“What do you suppose is happening here?” she asked curiously.

Ruby turned to her with a bright grin. “Something important. Come on, stick close and pay attention, okay?”

“What do you- _Ack_!”

Weiss was startled when Ruby grabbed hold of her hand and started to drag her through the milling mass of townspeople. Somehow the lithe girl managed to get them all the way through until they reached the clearing that was left in the crowd.

“Honestly, I am not some peasant to be hauled about in such a manner!” the Elven mage protested quietly.

“Shhh, listen!” Ruby interjected, ignoring her complaints.

Grumbling under her breath, Weiss turned to observe what the commotion had all been about.

Standing a couple yards from each other were two men, one a shaggy-looking Bear Faunus while the other, just as burly, seemed to be a half-Orc. Weiss turned her nose up almost imperceptibly at the sight of the mongrel half-breed, her upbringing threatening to come to the fore, but she pushed it down with some difficulty.

If anything, her time spent away from the hinterlands had taught her the value of not taking a person at face value, or to only regard their race or standing. But it was a lesson that needed to be constantly kept in mind for the previously-sheltered Elven girl.

The two men seemed to have just finished some sort of argument and were now looking at a third person expectantly. Weiss’ eyes widened at the sight of the tall woman with long and flowing red hair tied up into a topknot. Her fitted and burnished armor was gold with crimson highlights, emphasizing her considerable bust and showing enough of her tanned limbs to exhibit a remarkable musculature. She had an exquisite-looking sword in a red-and-gold sheath at her waist and a round gold shield slung across her back. The woman’s bright emerald eyes flashed in the afternoon sunlight as she regarded the pair before her.

“I understand your concerns,” the elegant-looking armored woman began with a ringing voice. “I also accept both of your versions of the event as it happened. However, I can also see that the two of you have a bond of friendship that should not be broken by such a petty squabble.”

Both of the burly men looked to the ground at that, abashed. The Faunus went so far as to kick at the dirt in embarrassment.

“So, my recommendation would be to simply let this matter rest, as a lesson to the both of you that drinking and darts should not be mixed. Angus, I believe you should pay for the bar tab, and Roger, you should pay for the damages to the wall. Does this sound acceptable?”

Both men nodded somewhat glumly.

“Very well, then. Now shake on it.”

With sudden grins, the two grabbed hold of each other’s hand, pumping it before encasing each other in a rough hug.

Laughing, the crowd began to disperse, but Ruby kept hold of Weiss’ hand, her silver eyes glittering excitedly.

“Ruby?” the white-haired girl questioned.

“Yep, she’s the next one,” the brunette whispered, seemingly under her breath. Weiss was easily able to pick up on it, however, causing her to glance at the slightly taller girl in confusion.

“Er, you mean her?”

“That’s right, her.” Ruby seemed not to be fazed at all from her words being overheard. “Let’s go talk to her.”

Weiss trailed in the excitable girl’s wake once her hand had been released, noting that the redheaded woman seemed to be waiting expectantly for them.

“Hello, friends,” she greeted them warmly. “May I assist you with something?”

“I certainly hope so,” Ruby grinned. “My name’s Ruby, and this is my companion, Weiss. I have a proposition for you, if you have a moment.”

“Certainly,” the armored woman replied agreeably. “I am Lady Pyrrha Nikos, a Knight of the Order of Artemis. Oh, and this is my squire, and knight-in-training…” She gestured to the side where another figure had stepped up unobtrusively.

The younger-looking woman was also in armor, though hers was admittedly less ornate and more functional. The white lacquer was chipped in a few places, and the sheathed sword looked to be well-worn, but it was all of good quality and well-cared for, including the white kite-shaped shield slung across her back. She was about of a height with Lady Nikos, though her medium-length blonde hair was in pigtails behind her.

“Hello,” she said meekly, her blue eyes averted shyly. “I’m Jeanne D’Arc.”

Ruby nodded to the pair of armored warriors, practically bouncing on her toes in excitement. “A pleasure to meet the both of you! Now, if you have a moment, can we step inside this tavern here to converse? Drinks are on me!”

“That sounds grand,” Pyrrha replied warmly, glancing at her blonde companion who also nodded eagerly. “We have been walking this town for some time now and would certainly appreciate the refreshment!”

Ruby gestured for the two women to proceed her, while she flashed another grin at Weiss as they followed them inside.

“Let me do the talking, okay?” the brunette whispered.

“Of course,” she replied levelly. It was certainly not her place to speak out of turn, if this was indeed a negotiation for their services. However, she did wonder what dangers Ruby intended to face on this quest of hers if she wanted a fully-trained Knight and her retinue along.

They walked past the bar, where the Bear Faunus and half-Orc from outside were now conversing and laughing heartily, and over to a table near the back of the room. Once they were seated, and orders taken by a passing barmaid, Ruby got right to the point, leaning towards the armed maidens eagerly.

“So, my companion and I are setting out on my Life Quest,” she began without preamble. “I intend to find the Orb of Azure.”

Pyrrha’s green eyes widened considerably at that. “Do you now?” she asked levelly. “And what do you intend to do with it?”

“Return it to the King of Vale, of course.”

“Hmm.” The Knight tried to look uninterested, but Weiss could easily pick up on her excitement. Her companion, though, just looked to be confused on the subject.

Ruby picked up on the latter and gave the younger girl a soft smile. “You’re both Mistralian, right?”

“That’s right, m’lady,” Jeanne nodded amicably. “We’re roaming about Vale as part of my training.”

“So I’m guessing you don’t know what the Orb is?”

The blonde glanced aside at the Knight, who shrugged but nodded her permission to speak freely.

“Er, no, I’m afraid not,” Jeanne admitted.  “My Valesian history is a bit… lacking, I’m sorry to say.”

“Well, then” Ruby grinned, leaning back and accepting her flagon of mead. She took a long drought, as the others thanked the barmaid for their wine.

The brunette brought her drink back down with a _thump_ , wiping her lips with the back of her hand. “Let me tell you,” she continued, her silver eyes gleaming in the dim light, “about Dragons.”

“Oh, I do know some about those, m’lady,” Jeanne exclaimed, speaking rapidly. “I’ve always been intrigued by them, the different kinds of species, and their abilities, though they’re so rare and all, still, every good Knight should know about them… My mother always said, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you really know...”

“Jeanne,” the redhead interjected with a fond smile. “Please let the woman talk.”

“Er, yes, My Lady,” the blonde murmured abashedly. “My apologies.”

“Don't worry about it,” Ruby grinned. “Anyways, not about Dragons as a whole, but one in particular. He was known as… Ember.”

Weiss shuddered slightly at the name. All of Remnant had heard of the venerable Red Dragon who had harbored such a hatred for Humans and Elves and Faunus and all the rest of the humanoid races, even the Fey who were just as long-lived and powerful.

“Now, Ember was a crafty old Dragon,” the brunette murmured, causing the others to lean in to listen to her tale. “He ultimately wanted to wipe the face of Remnant of everyone except for his own race. And he was strong enough, powerful enough, to get most of the Dragon race behind him, along with not a few of the more warlike humanoids such as Orcs and Ogres and the like, promising them plunder and murder and the usual mayhem. But he knew that there was one thing that would prevent him from conquering all of Remnant, and that one thing was in the possession of the Kingdom of Vale.”

Weiss nodded. “The Orb of Azure,” she whispered.

“Exactly,” Ruby grinned. “Now, few people actually knew what the Orb did, why it was special, and why Dragons feared it so. You see,” she continued, stretching her hand out to encompass the four of them. “Most humanoids cannot even scratch the hide of a Dragon. Only the most powerfully-enchanted weapons can do so. But, bring the Orb within a hundred yards of a Dragon?”

With a flick of her wrist, Ruby produced a knife out of seemingly thin air and plunged it into the table with a loud _bang_ , causing the other three women to jump slightly.

“Then any weapon at all can harm them,” Ruby finished with a light laugh.

“Sweet Mother of Oum,” Pyrrha murmured. “I did not know the details of that, myself… So, was that how Ember met his death? Admittedly, I am not conversant as to how the Dragon Wars ended.”

“No, not exactly,” Ruby replied, her expression sobering. “The Orb was never recovered, though Ember had it stolen and secreted away. In fact, it was a force of humanoids and Dragons that stopped Ember and his allies, at a great loss of life. So far as I know, only King Ozpin himself walked off of the battlefield with his life.”

“Dragons fought against Ember?” the redhead interjected in confusion. “Er, I was under the impression that it was solely the humanoid races against the Dragons…”

Ruby somberly shook her head. “There were some Dragons who fought against the tyranny of the ancient Red,” she replied simply.

“So, this Orb,” Jeanne began thoughtfully after a moment of silence. “It would protect the Four Kingdoms from another like Ember rising up?”

“That’s the gist of it, yep,” Ruby replied, taking another pull from her mead.

Pyrrha and Jeanne looked at each other, seemingly conversing wordlessly. Weiss noted curiously that the way they leaned in towards each other implied a good deal of familiarity… and affection.

“Well, then,” the redheaded Knight declared, facing an expectant Ruby once more. “As it happens, we have been searching for a worthy cause for my squire and myself to embark upon. I do believe that your Life Quest would be such an opportunity.”

“So, you wanna join up?” Ruby asked, bouncing in her seat excitedly.

“It would be our honor,” Pyrrha replied solemnly. She bowed her head briefly. “I, Lady Pyrrha Nikos, Knight of Artemis, so do pledge myself and my squire into your service until you do release us.”

“I accept your pledge, Lady Nikos,” Ruby answered, the facade of an enthusiastic little girl once again sliding away. “And I so do pledge as your Lord to protect and shelter you and yours, until I do release you.”

Pyrrha grinned in appreciation. “It’s so rare to meet one who understands Mistralian customs,” she said warmly.

The brunette shrugged nonchalantly. “Eh, I’ve been around. So, want to hear about our first stop?”

“Oh, are we ready for that now?” Weiss spoke up, having kept her own counsel for the most part. “No more companions to gather?”

“I think… no.” Ruby pursed her lips thoughtfully. “At least, not yet, and not here. We can head for our objective, where the first clue lies.”

“So where are we going?” Jeanne asked, her sapphire blue eyes gleaming with excitement.

Weiss rolled her eyes in mild exasperation. _Wonderful, another eager one._

“Well, there’s this manor on the outskirts of the kingdom,” Ruby began, sharing a grin with the young blonde. “Used to belong to a Baron, but he died heirless back in the War a dozen years ago. So, now it’s abandoned, or at least likely infested with all sorts of unsavory types.”

“And I suppose we are to be exterminators?” Weiss asked archly.

“Now you’re getting the idea, Weiss!” the brunette cheered. “We’ll go in, bust some heads and chase off the beasties, and then I’ll get the clue in the library there. Easy-peasy.”

“Sounds grand,” Pyrrha said with a smile. “Our horses are stabled by the North Gates, where might yours be?”

“Oh, we don’t have any yet. Let’s just head there and I’ll buy a pair, along with a spare.” Ruby drained the last of her mead, slapped a large denomination lien coin on the table, and stood up decisively. “Any objections to heading out right away?”

Her three companions shook their heads, causing the brunette girl to grin excitedly.

“Okay, then! Oh, we might need some more camping gear, definitely some water skins, but we can pick all of those up at the stables.” She turned, her red cloak flaring out behind her while she picked up her knapsack and blanket. As she did so, Weiss spied a peculiarly-shaped metallic object strapped to her back.

_Is that… her weapon, perhaps?_

The four of them strode down the street and towards the northern edge of the town. Ruby slowed down her pace in order to pull next to Weiss.

“Any preference as to a horse?” she asked pleasantly.

“Oh, none at all, thank you for asking. I can ride most anything.”

“Hmm. Good to know. Guess I’ll be the only exception, then.”

“Oh?” Weiss prompted curiously.

Ruby laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah… I don’t get along too well with horses, I usually need the most placid one they have or they just throw me off.”

“I’m… sorry to hear that.”

“Eh, not a big deal. I’m used to it. Surprisingly enough, it’s just horses, other animals like dogs like me just fine.” Ruby chuckled lightly. “Not that I’ve had a dog in some time.”

An hour later saw them fully equipped and mounted. Ruby had indeed found herself an abnormally calm piebald who seemed to not even register the fact that she was saddled. For Weiss she had purchased a sleek white stallion, while Pyrrha and Jeanne rode strong warhorses, both a light brown in color. The spare horse, a young pinto, trailed at the end of a tether to Jeanne.

Both the knight and her squire had lances that they carried aloft. Pyrrha’s had a small banner flapping on the end, a white field with a black crow gripping an arrow, the symbol of the Order of Artemis. Jeanne’s, though, was unadorned.

“Alright, Fellowship of the Orb!” Ruby called out excitedly. “Are we ready to begin our journey?”

“I believe we are as ready as we shall ever be, Ruby,” Lady Nikos replied humorously.

“Then let’s ride!”

They headed out, far from the eager gallop that the brunette desired as her horse seemed to only be able to go at one speed. Which was fine with Weiss, since she could sit back and consider the leader of their expedition.

_I am still not quite sure what to make of you, Ruby… But I plan to discover more._

_So long as you do not go digging into my own secrets any..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, and there’s my next character twist, a genderbent Jaune! She was actually inspired by a series of artwork posted up a couple of weeks ago on the /r/RWBY subreddit, specifically one by Dishwasher1910 on DeviantArt. So, there we go. And yes, I can now do an Arkos pairing and still have my femslash. Although, it’s not going to be nearly as easy as that…
> 
> Also we had some more exposition and history as to what happened leading up to the first chapter. And what this mysterious Orb is all about. Let’s see, other noteworthy items… So Weiss lists her age as 80, which as an Elf puts her right around 20 for Humans. A typical Elven lifespan in this world can be anywhere from four hundred up to even a thousand years in rare cases, like for an extremely powerful mage. Also, in response to Wolfenheart, I’m not specifically referencing Elder Scrolls here, I draw from many different sources though in this particular world building. Quite heavily from Dungeons and Dragons (of all flavors), but yes some Elder Scrolls as well, not to mention some good old Tolkien.
> 
> One last note. Every main character of what will be the full Fellowship of the Orb has a secret, some smaller than others, and one of whom doesn’t even know her own secret (or that she has one at all). All will be revealed in due time. As will the ships. Well, except for Arkos, I already let that one slip, didn’t I?
> 
> I’m happy this has garnered some attention, hopefully you will continue to be entertained! Next chapter, we’ll get back to Yang and Blake for a spell, with a couple more unexpected faces.


	5. Walking The Town

**Volume 1**

**Kingdom of Vale**

“If you dance with dragons, you must expect to burn.”   
~ George R.R. Martin, The Mystery Knight

 

Yang couldn’t help but grin at the consternation of her companion.

To be fair, she was the cause of said consternation, after all.

“You are incredibly irritating,” the Cat Faunus growled quietly, her tail bristling behind her as they walked down the cobblestone street. The early evening sun was still illuminating enough of the section of town they found themselves in, close to the rather seedy docks, so that the lamplighters were just now coming out.

“True,” Yang smirked. “But you knew that already when you agreed to work for me.”

Blake just let out an unamused huff as she glared at the blonde out of the corner of her eye.

“Look, when the sun sets, we can go with your contacts,” Yang explained reasonably. “But for now, lemme try a few more of my own methods.”

“All of which happen to be in taverns or pubs or bars,” the raven-haired woman noted dryly.

Yang shrugged, once more grinning. “Eh, fringe benefit.” Her facial expression reversed course as she frowned slightly then. “I never could quite figure out the differences, you know.”

“Er… differences between what, exactly?”

“Between a tavern and a pub and a bar.”

Blake shook her head, perplexed. “A tavern, or an inn, has rooms for people to stay. A pub usually serves food. And a bar just serves alcohol.” She glanced over at Yang once more, her amber eyes glowing in the shadows cast by the buildings. “How is it there are some things you are so… uneducated on?”

The blonde shrugged again. “Oh, I dunno. Guess I just never bothered to know this kinda stuff. But that’s what I have _you_ for!” She reached out and snared the reluctant Cat Faunus in a one-armed hug. “I’m just so excited to have you as my partner!”

“Yes, likewise,” Blake deadpanned, causing Yang to chuckle.

This Faunus woman was a source of endless amusement.

“Okay, let’s stop here,” Yang declared, releasing her amicable hold on the raven-haired woman. It was, of course, a bar. Or perhaps a pub. Maybe even a tavern, though honestly how anyone could tell from the outside was beyond her. In any case, the front of it simply read ‘Crow’s Nest’, and she was pretty damn sure there would be someone here who knew something.

Granted, her hunches had been wrong before.

For years now, actually, but she wasn’t one to let a simple thing like the past get in her way.

She shouldered her way inside, the lithe dark-clad woman following her and immediately slipping to the side, keeping to the shadows as she had at every stop so far that day. Granted, Yang cut an imposing enough figure herself that few would even have registered the rogue’s entrance.

The blonde wore her usual outfit of a collared cream top over a black shirt, and over all of that was an abbreviated black jacket with mid-length sleeves. Black leather straps poked out from under her short grey skirt to attach to the tops of her black stockings, and the outfit was completed by black boots, a pair of belts, and a purple piece of fabric with lace around the edges that hung from her left hip.

Yang knew it was a unique look, but that suited her personality perfectly well.

Her lilac eyes scanned the room as various patrons glanced her way in brief interest. Among those were some who gave her leers of various vintage, including a group of Dwarves who followed up with a set of particularly lewd gestures.

 _Been there, done that,_ she snorted to herself humorously.

But at least she’d been able to dispel that one particularly persistent rumor about Dwarven males.

Her gaze rested upon one humanoid male in particular, blond and wearing only an open white vest from what she could tell. He was sitting in the back, alone at a table, and quite blatantly ignoring her presence. Though he piqued her interest briefly, it wasn’t for the reason she was there.

Nobody else seemed to be giving her the correct vibe, and certainly there were no major concerns, though she would have picked up on that before she’d even entered the… pub? Yes, there was a kitchen, but no stairs leading upwards and towards bedrooms. Ergo, a pub.

She grinned to herself briefly, pleased with her newfound knowledge.

Turning towards where she could tell Blake was waiting with barely-restrained impatience, Yang sighed slightly. “Okay, well, this was a bust. I suppose we could try one of your places, then.”

“Are you sure?” the Cat Faunus rogue asked levelly, one eyebrow raised. “I wouldn’t want to impose upon you.”

Yang blinked at her uncertainly. “You’re mocking me.”

“No, no, not at all. I mean, after all, you obviously hired me for my good looks alone, correct?”

The blonde snorted out a laugh. “Okay, yeah, I get it. You’re the expert, I’ll just let you do your thing. So, where to?”

Blake looked away, a brief flash of crimson dusting her cheeks. “Er… here is fine, actually.”

“Here?”

“Yes, here.”

“As in, a pub, like the ones you were just complaining about my dragging you through…”

“Yes.”

“...Kinda like a tavern, though without rooms, oh, or almost like a bar, but serving food…”

“Yes, Yang.”

“...And it just happens to be the one I entered.”

Blake rolled her eyes, visibly trying not to growl at the smirking blonde. “Yes... Yang...” she gritted out with precise enunciation.

“Well, okay then, just wanted to be clear on that.” Yang’s smirk was firmly in place as she stepped aside, gesturing grandly. “After you.”

Blake brushed past her, grumbling under her breath several choice opinions of Yang’s parentage, mating habits, and preferred anatomical familiarity. All in extensive detail and color.

By the time the pair of them reached the back of the pub, Yang was turning red from suppressing her laughter.

_Gods… all sorts of fun, this one..._

They ended up standing by the table where the blond boy sat. He was still studiously ignoring them, though his left hand, the only one visible, was tapping restlessly on the top of the table next to a mug of some sort of drink.

“Sun,” the raven-haired girl greeted him tersely.

He shook his head. “Sorry, don’t know anyone by that name.”

Blake growled quietly, leaning forward with her fists on the table’s surface. “Don’t give me shit about this. I know it’s been awhile.”

“It’s been a fucking year, Blake,” the boy answered with a grimace, still not meeting her gaze. “How do you expect me to act?”

“Like you’re happy to see me?”

Sun stood up quickly, the chair banging to the floor behind him. Now that he was on his feet, Yang could see he wore a pair of blue trousers. Of greater significance, though, was a golden tail that swished behind him angrily. _Ahh, so a Faunus… Monkey, I think?_

“Why should I be happy to see you?” he snarled, his right hand clutching the end of a staff that had been lying across his lap. His face stilled quickly, causing Yang to tense up in a way that his earlier sudden movement hadn’t.

“Are you here to kill me?” Sun asked, his voice deathly quiet.

“No, Sun,” Blake answered through seemingly numb lips. Her face was momentarily stricken by anguish that he’d even had to suggest such a thing, but it was quickly wiped away to be replaced with her usual neutral expression.

“Then what do you want?”

“Information. This is my employer. She’s looking for someone.”

Sun snorted out an unamused laugh, kicking the fallen chair upright with his foot. His tail caught it and set it underneath him, and he plopped back down again. “What’s in it for me, then?”

“What do you want?” Yang asked, speaking up for the first time.

“Hmm.” He glanced over at her, his dark grey eyes suddenly interested. “Smart, for a Human.”

“Eh, I have my moments,” the blonde shrugged modestly. “So, what are you interested in?”

“Not going to offer me lien right off the bat?”

“Not unless that’s what you want, no.” Yang sat down and leaned forward, her chin resting on her open palm. Blake took a seat next to her, eyeing the both of them cautiously. “But I have a feeling it isn’t.”

Sun nodded slowly. “I trade information. I help you, you help me.”

“And if you don’t know what I want?”

“Well, then, you’ll just have to take that chance.”

Yang grinned widely, flashing her teeth. “I have a better idea. I trade you information, and if you don’t know who I’m looking for, you keep your ear to the ground and your eyes open. You do find this person, then you let Blake know.” She glanced aside at her companion. “I assume you two have a way to communicate, since you’re apparently old buddies and all?”

Blake just nodded slightly, but Sun spoke up. “Yeah, yeah we do. Alright, deal, but my effort depends on your information.”

“Fair enough.” Yang sat back, interlacing her fingers behind her head. “How about… the location of a tidy little cache of gems?”

Sun smiled slightly at that. “How little?”

“Roughly half a million lien.”

His smile dropped, to be replaced by a rather awestruck expression. “That’s… not so little.”

“Not so much, no.” Yang grinned knowingly once more. “Know of a minor noble named Port?”

“Yeah, petty little retired adventurer, likes to talk people’s ears off about his younger days…”

“That’s the one. Master bedroom, fourth panel to the left from the window. There’s a knot in the wood at about waist height, press it in.”

Sun looked at her a tad suspiciously. “One, how do you know this, and two, how can I trust you?”

The blonde woman barked out a quick laugh. “Well, I know all kinds of strange shit, best not to ask. And as for trusting me?” She tossed her hair over her shoulder negligently as she dropped her hands back down. “Well, _I_ certainly wouldn’t trust me. Figure it out for yourself. I’m sure you’re only gonna use it to trade to someone else, anyways. Now, you ready to hear what I want?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Yang nodded, resting both of her arms on the table in front of her. “I’m looking for a girl. Can’t tell you her description as I’ve never met her. But she’ll likely be young, or at least around my age or so. But the one thing that will set her apart is her presence.”

“Her… presence?” Sun asked skeptically.

“Yes.” Yang leaned forward slightly and allowed the crimson to color her eyes briefly. “Her presence.”

“I see,” Sun replied, licking his lips uncertainly. “Okay, then… Yeah, obviously I don’t know anyone like that, but I’ll let you know, or at least I’ll let Blake know, okay?”

“Sounds good!” she replied cheerfully. Standing, Yang gave him a brilliant smile. “Pleasure doing business!”

“Right… you too…”

Yang turned and headed over to the bar, sensing that her companion was following her as Sun slipped out the front entrance. The blonde hopped onto a stool, motioning the bartender over. She wanted something to drink before the inevitable questioning started.

“You don’t even know what she looks like?”

_Orrr… we could just dive right into the questions._

“Nope, sorry,” she replied levelly, greeting the Gnomish bartender with a grin. “Two meads, please.”

“Make mine a wine, Mistralian green,” Blake interjected crossly.

“Well, the meads were both mine, but yeah, okay. Add in a wine for the lady here.”

The Gnome grunted at them, his beady eyes evidently satisfied with their ability to pay for their tab. As he waddled to the side to grab appropriate glassware, Yang peeked over the edge of the bar, confirming that the short man had a raised plank to walk across.

“So, explain this to me,” Blake tried again. “She’s your sister, but you don’t know what she looks like.”

“That about sums it up, yep.”

“What about her name?”

“No, not even that.”

“And… you don’t know where on all of Remnant she could be?”

Blake’s amber eyes were a little wild at this point, as if she were seriously regretting throwing her lot in with what must have seemed to be a rather deranged women with highly unrealistic delusions of her own investigative abilities.

Yang shrugged once more, snagging the handle on the mug that was slid her way. She chugged the mead quickly, slamming it down just in time to catch the second one. “I’ll know her when I see her and talk to her,” she replied, finishing off her statement with a loud belch.

“You are impossible,” Blake muttered.

“So I’ve been told.”

The raven-haired rogue sighed as she lifted her goblet, swirling it around before she took a sip. Her eyes closed in satisfaction, bleeding away a considerable amount of her ire.

“Why am I even here?’ she asked quietly.

Briefly, Yang wondered if she were thinking rhetorically, or perhaps even existentially, but decided to err on the side of caution and go with the literal for a change. “Because I need your skills and your knowledge.”

“So far, all I’ve done is point you in someone’s direction.”

“And that’s been enough, as you say, so far. There’s more you can tell me, though.”

Blake nodded slowly, taking another sip of her malachite-colored wine. “Such as?”

Staring into her mug, Yang pursed her lips. There were a number of things she still hadn’t uncovered, unsure as to what could be relevant to her stay there in Vale. Or what could possibly lead her to new clues.

But there was one particular bit of information that had been vexing her for some time now.

“Does the name… Torchwick... mean anything to you?” Yang asked, glancing at Blake out of the corner of her eye to judge her reaction.

Sure enough, the Cat Faunus stiffened slightly, and her immediate look of chagrin indicated she realized Yang had caught that.

“Yes,” Blake murmured.

At that, Yang turned halfway around on her stool, gesturing for the Cat Faunus to continue.

Her companion sighed softly, resuming in the same quiet murmur so as not to attract attention.

“Roman Torchwick is the head of the Thief’s Guild. Human male, in his forties or so, very connected, just recently rose to his position after the previous Guildmaster was… removed.”

“Hmm,” Yang mused. “And by ‘removed’, you mean assassinated.”

“Quite likely, yes.”

“And you’re part of the Thief’s Guild.”

Blake nodded somberly, answering even though it was clearly a rhetorical question. “I am.”

“Don’t seem to like him much.”

The Cat Faunus screwed up her face, which Yang actually thought to be pretty adorable, not that she’d ever tell the reticent rogue that.

“I… have some objections regarding the new direction he’s taken the Guild.”

“Ahhh,” Yang sighed softly. “Now we’re getting to what I want to know. What is this ‘new direction’ you mention?”

Blake took another sip of her wine, closing her eyes briefly. “There have been numerous… incidents. Seemingly sloppy robberies with coincidental fatalities. But they’re not, they are very targeted.”

“And what do you find objectionable?” Yang asked, sincerely curious.

“We are _not_ the Assassin’s Guild,” Blake spat out heatedly, her amber eyes flashing with barely suppressed anger.

The blonde nodded, opening her mouth to ask some more questions, but she quickly froze.

Something… no, some _one_ was coming.

Briefly, she felt an elation that it might be her sister, but before the front door to the pub had even opened she was able to discern who exactly it was. Or rather, the pair of familiar someones.

“Oum’s blood,” she growled, turning in her stool to face the door and leaning back on her elbows. “Blake, get on the other side of me, away from the door.”

“What-”

“Do it, now!” she hissed. “No sudden moves. And don’t say a _fucking_ thing unless I tell you to, got me?”

Blake clamped her lips shut, noiselessly slipping to the other side of Yang as ordered, wine in hand. The blonde did peripherally note with some humor that the rogue had slipped a knife into her free, concealed hand.

But her focus right now was on the door, waiting for it to open.

When it did, a rather unassuming pair of individuals strode in as if they owned the establishment. The first one through was a tanned slender girl with shoulder-length light green hair and crimson eyes, dressed in a brown halter top that exposed her abdomen, short white leggings, and sandals with straps that laced halfway up her calf. The hilts of twin long daggers showed behind her waist, attached to a leather belt with an ornate buckle.

The second person to enter was about Yang’s height, with slate grey hair and matching eyes. He was dressed all in black and grey, from the jacket to his shirt to his trousers and boots. He did not, as she expected, appear to be armed.

The pair didn’t hesitate at all in approaching Yang, though they slowed to a halt at a respectable distance from where she slouched.

_Well, at least they’re cautious this time. Took ‘em long enough to learn._

“Emerald, Mercury,” she greeted them nonchalantly. “Been awhile.”

“Not long enough,” the green-haired girl growled. “What are you doing in our town, Yang?”

“ _Your_ town?” Yang laughed lightly. “Oh, well now, _that’s_ news. Are you the welcoming committee, or the bouncers? ‘Cause I sure as Oum know you ain’t the ones in charge.”

“You know the two of us can take you on,” Mercury stated levelly.

“Maybe,” Yang smirked. “But here? In front of all these… witnesses? You willing to go there?”

“Oh, I am _so_ willing to go there, you piece of Kobold-shit,” Emerald snarled eagerly, reaching behind her.

Yang’s smirk widened as Mercury placed a restraining hand on his companion. He didn’t say anything, but if the look of pain that flashed across Emerald’s face was any indication, he had her arm in an iron grip.

“Lemme make this easy for you,” Yang stated with a bored tone to her voice. “I’m not setting up… shop. Or anything of the like. Just passing through like before.”

“This isn’t Atlas,” Emerald gritted out, pain lacing her words.

“No, and that means _he_ doesn’t have the advantage here,” she retorted, inclining her head towards the male.

Mercury finally released the green-haired girl, stepping in front of her as she sagged back slightly. “You going to cause trouble?” he inquired. His grey eyes briefly flashed a dark violet color.

“Not unless you do,” she retorted, allowing her own eyes to flash crimson in warning.

The grey-haired man gave her a brief nod, then turned and pushed Emerald ahead of him. The pair left without further incident, allowing Yang to release a large sigh of relief.

“What was that all about?” Blake asked, her voice subdued.

The blonde simply turned and tossed back the rest of her drink, signaling the Gnome for another.

“Yang…”

“I need you to promise me something, kitten,” Yang began, her serious tone belying the playful nickname. “If you ever see either of those two again, and I’m not with you, you run. Doesn’t matter who you’re with or what you’re doing, you run and don’t look back.”

“Will you at least-”

“No, Blake. Swear this to me, and then let the matter drop. Please.”

The Cat Faunus sighed as she faced the bar once more, finishing off her wine. “Very well, Yang. I swear it.”

“Thank you,” the blonde murmured into her fresh mug.

Still, after that encounter, she felt incredibly off-kilter. Restless, even, her adrenaline having been raised with no outlet for release.

“Know what we need?” Yang stated with the beginning of a grin.

Blake glanced over at her companion, nonplussed. “Er, what?”

“A bar fight.”

“We… do?”

“Absolutely,” Yang continued, her grin widening. “Just the thing to cheer us up.”

“I honestly can say I don’t need cheered up all that much.”

“Oh, sure you do. All that pent-up energy and moping…”

“Yang, I do not mope.”

“Yep, you’re a mopey kitten.”

“I swear to Oum, Yang…”

“Now, now,” the blonde snickered, Blake’s irritated glare sliding off of her like water. “Save that for the brawl.”

“Can you at least allow me to leave first?”

“Mmmm… nope.” Yang turned around to regard the trio of Dwarves who had leered at her earlier. “Hey, mud-digger! I hear your mother was a beardless Orc-lover!”

“Oum’s sodding balls,” Blake groaned, sliding off of her stool. Just in time, as it turned out, to avoid the chair thrown by an enraged Dwarf.

The melee that ensued was remarkable for a number of reasons. First was the sheer size of the brawl, as Yang had the uncanny ability to piss off people regardless of gender, race, or determination to stay out of the fight. Also there was Blake’s rather impressive abilities, which Yang managed to keep an eye on even as she was tossing bar patrons onto tables or through walls. As she slammed her fist into the bearded face of one of the Dwarves, she spied the Cat Faunus somersaulting over the heads of a pair of Humans wielding makeshift clubs. As she soared over, she brought their heads smacking together, rendering the two of them unconscious.

But perhaps the most notable feature of the bar brawl was Yang herself.

The golden bruiser waded gleefully through the combatants, seemingly unable to be touched. She fought with her bare knuckles only, but her prodigious strength pummeled anyone who stood in her way. Eventually, people would quail away from her in fear rather than face her wrath, no matter how much they would normally loom over her in height.

Eventually, as the sounds of fierce roars were replaced by pitiful whimpers and moans of pain, only Yang and Blake remained on their feet. The latter was panting heavily, the sleeve of her purple blouse torn and her hair disheveled.

The blonde, on the other hand, looked as if she’d just had the time of her life.

“See?” she exulted, grabbing her companion around her shoulders and giving her a one-armed hug. “Just what we needed!”

“You…” Blake gasped, still trying to get her breathing under control, “...are… deranged…”

“Flatterer,” Yang snorted, hauling the raven-haired girl over towards the bar where the Gnome was cowering behind still. She pulled out a handful of lien coins, tried counting them out but eventually just shrugged and slapped the whole handful down on the counter.

Without another word she turned, Blake still being towed along, and exited the bar.

After a block, Blake shrugged the blonde’s arm off of her shoulder and glanced at her, an unreadable look in her amber eyes as she tried to straighten her torn sleeve and adjust her black leather vest.

“How is it you can be that strong?” the Cat Faunus inquired. “I saw you toss two fully-grown Human males, at the same time, across the room.”

Yang graced her with a cheeky grin. “It’s all the country air where I grew up. Did wonders for me.”

The raven-haired girl snorted inelegantly. “You are so full of Ogre-shit.”

“So I’ve been told.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, more players emerge, but not the ones we expected, eh? Don’t worry, Em and Merc will make future appearances… Oh, and in case it wasn’t obvious, Yang’s default outfit for this fic is her Hunter variant.
> 
> Next chapter, let’s add the last pair to the party...


	6. A Chance Encounter

**Volume 1** **  
** ****

**Kingdom of Vale**

“Be careful, darling. Your footsteps land heavy here. Your racket will wake the dragons.”    
~ Sarah Kay

 

Ever since she was a little girl, Jeanne D’Arc wanted to be a Knight.

She was the youngest of eight girls, born into minor Mistralian nobility, and by tradition as the youngest sister she should really have gone into the clergy. But her imagination had always been alight with tales of adventure and heroism, her eager mind fed stories of valiant Knights that rode throughout the Four Kingdoms and kept the peace.

And so, after years of pestering, pleading, and downright begging, she had been allowed to apprentice herself into one of the Knightly Orders. It was the greatest, proudest day of her life, sixteen years of age and walking through the halls of the local Order of Artemis chapter with her blonde head held high.

What the stories failed to mention, however, was precisely how much  _ work _ was involved in becoming a Knight.

She’d kept herself dedicated and her blue eyes firmly focused on her dream for the first year as she toiled amongst all of the other potential recruits. Jeanne did well enough with sword and shield, with riding and her physical achievements, that the following year she was assigned to a Knight as their squire.

And then her entire life was turned upside down by a pair of sparkling, emerald green orbs.

Jeanne closed her eyes, holding her warhorse in place with her knees as she tried to recenter herself, to pull away from useless introspection. She inhaled deeply, the crisp forest air laden with the smell of trees overlaid with sweet decay from leaves in the undergrowth. Birds chirped in the distance, a distant chorus indicating that there was no danger nearby, nothing immediate to worry about.

Well, no danger except for her own self, that is.

“Any day, now, Jeanne.”

The blonde grinned at the slightly exasperated but humorous tone of her Knight. Her Lady.

“Of course, My Lady,” she said firmly, opening her sapphire blue eyes once more and steeling herself for what was to come.

They had stopped in this clearing for their midday rest, only a day out from the town of Vale. Ruby and Weiss, her new traveling companions, were still sitting to the side by their horses, looking on with some curiosity, while Pyrrha remained astride her warhorse, waiting patiently.

And towards the other end of the clearing was her target. A simple tree trunk with a discarded package of rations set up on its end.

_ Alright, I can do this. This one, final test for a true Knight. I can do this. Ignore all the other times that came before, ignore the audience, it’s just me and my lance and my horse. I can do this. _

_ Oum, please let me do this, for just once let me do this… _

She let out a fierce cry, her knees slamming into the sides of her horse. The blonde warrior crouched over the wild mane of her mount as they shot forward, shield tightly clenched in one hand while the other cradled her lance and tucked it into her side.

Twenty yards. Fifteen yards.

She set the lance onto the target, determined not to let it waver.

Ten yards. Five yards.

And then, just like every time before, it happened. Right before she hit, the tip of her lance dipped.

The impact of her lance against the tree trunk jolted her arm almost out of her socket, and likely would have were it not for her aura. As it was, the world went spinning around her as she found herself weightless, only to come crashing back down once more, flat on her back.

Jeanne let out a wheezing breath as she stared up at the beautiful blue cloudless sky.

“Son of an Orc,” she moaned, blinking her eyes as she tried to regain her senses.

Soon enough, three faces loomed overhead. Pyrrha, of course, looked concerned, though her emerald eyes were shining with suppressed mirth. She never looked at her in disappointment, but always encouraging, always reassuring.

Sometimes, that just made it all the worse.

Meanwhile, her temporary liege looked down with barely restrained laughter, silver eyes twinkling merrily.

“That looked like it sucked,” Ruby proclaimed with a small giggle.

“No more than usual,” Jeanne sighed disconsolately.

Weiss, the white-haired Elven mage, shook her head slowly. “I thought you might have been exaggerating,” she said slowly. “But you truly are terrible with a lance.”

“Well… she’s not all  _ that  _ bad,” Pyrrha defended weakly. “I mean, I have seen far worse…”

“From raw recruits, sure,” Jeanne grumbled as she struggled to sit up. Both Pyrrha and Ruby lent her a hand, each one with an arm around her back. “Not second year squires.”

Pyrrha couldn't really answer that. There was no need, for Weiss had indeed hit the proverbial nail on the head.

She really,  _ really  _ sucked with a lance.

It didn’t matter what target she used, be it live practice with horses, or with a pole, or a fencepost. Every single damned time, she ended up unhorsed.

If she wasn’t so determined to follow her dream of becoming a Knight… a Knight like Pyrrha… it would almost be enough to break her.

But, as she did after every other occurrence, Jeanne picked herself up, straightened her armor, and looked around for her discarded lance. Fortunately, it hadn’t shattered this time. Her horse, Sunflower, knew by now not to wander far. As soon as Jeanne’s posterior left the saddle, the mare would slow down and turn, trotting back to wherever her rider had landed this time.

“Do we have the time for me to try again?” Jeanne asked quietly, unable to meet the gazes of the others in the party.

“No, not today, Jeanne,” the redheaded Mistralian Knight replied somberly. “It is time for us to move on.”

“Very well, My Lady.”

She turned, about to bend down to retrieve her lance, only to find it in the hands of the smaller brunette girl already. Ruby handed it to her with a gentle smile.

“I admire your perseverance,” the red-cloaked girl stated softly. “You must truly want this. To become a Knight.”

“I do, m’lady,” Jeanne replied with a smile of her own. “More than anything.”

“Whelp, can’t help you with the lance any, but I can certainly give you adventures that songs could be made of,” Ruby grinned.

The blonde chuckled ruefully as she grabbed the reins of her horse. “That would indeed be a balm for my sore rear end.”

Ruby snickered, walking past her and bumping her shoulder in a friendly way. “I’d think by now you’d get some padded armor for your ass.”

“Er… yes…” Jeanne blushed a bit at the crassness of the statement, but she couldn’t deny the intent. “I have often thought of it.”

Once the four of them were mounted and on their way, the women continued their amicable conversation from before.

“So, Weiss,” Pyrrha began. “You were mentioning your homeland previously?”

The Elf flicked her long white hair over her shoulder. Today it was done in a braid so that it came down just to the middle of her back. “Yes, well… Truly there isn’t much to tell regarding the hinterlands. It is cold, as you may imagine, though the city of Evereska is a bit of an oasis in the middle of much desolate landscape.” She smiled softly in remembrance. “The graceful spires and elegant architecture are a sight to behold.”

“Is that where you’re from, then?” Ruby asked curiously. “Evereska?”

Weiss’ smile vanished as if it had never been to be replaced by her customary neutral mask of indifference. “Yes,” she replied shortly. “Originally. But I… left there to travel and begin my studies.“

“I’d like to see Atlas someday,” Jeanne mused. “I hear the southern towns are bustling centers of commerce, and the city of Atlas itself never sleeps.”

The Elf let out a soft snort. “It is not as exotic as it is made up to be, truly. At least, not compared to the hinterlands. But yes,” she conceded reluctantly, “there is much to be found in the bazaars of southern Atlas.”

“And then what of you, Ruby?” Pyrrha inquired after they had ridden on in silence for the span of a few minutes. “What lands do you hail from?”

“Oh, you know,” the brunette replied airily as she snacked on some sort of confectionary substance. “Here and there.”

“That… is not a very precise answer.”

“Well, the best I can say is that where I come from... is somewhere in between Vacuo and Vale.”

Jeanne frowned slightly, considering her geography in her head. “I did not think there  _ was  _ anything in between the two kingdoms…”

“Oh, sure, lots of stuff,” Ruby grinned. “Usually hard to find, y’know, unless you know where to look. Or if those there want to be found.”

“Sounds a bit… untamed?” the redhead offered gamely.

“It can be,” Ruby admitted. “But it was a lot of fun growing up, lots of wild open space and places to roam about…” Her face fell slightly then as she examined the last of her treat. “Well, it was, before I lost my parents, anyways.” With that, she popped the remains of her snack into her mouth.

“I am sorry to hear that,” Pyrrha apologized softly. “When did they pass?”

“In the War. Both of them went off to fight and never came home.” Ruby stared ahead as she rode, her face set. Jeanne didn’t want to prod any further, but something she had said bothered her.

“Er, m’lady… The War was twelve years ago, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And you are… eighteen, same as I, if I may be so bold?”

“Thereabouts,” Ruby said with a small smirk.

“So you have been on your own, then, since you were six years old?” The blonde simply couldn’t fathom such a prospect, having grown up in such a large family. Being alone for all that time…

“It wasn’t all that bad, really,” the brunette said with a reassuring wink, her cheer once again restored. “I learned to handle myself at an early age. Traveled a bit, met lots of interesting people, that sort of thing. And now I have three new friends to keep me company!”

“Well, at least I am old enough to be your mother,” Weiss grumbled mildly.

“Ah ah,” Ruby chided her with a grin. “Can’t count Elven years like that. How old are you, eighty?”

“Er, yes, actually…”

“So that only makes you twenty in Human years, about the same age as Pyrrha here if I’m not mistaken. More like a big sister than anything.”

Weiss sighed, rolling her eyes. “Very well, I can accept that.”

“So, then,” Ruby continued, her grin widening. “While Jeanne and I run around and get into trouble like the little sisters we are, you and Pyrrha can be the responsible ones and chase after us!”

Weiss shared an exasperated glance with the redheaded Knight. “I propose we tie them up before we enter the next town.”

“That sounds acceptable,” Pyrrha laughed.

“Hey, wait now, I didn’t agree to any of this!” Jeanne protested, though she couldn’t keep the grin off of her face either. “I am not a troublemaker!”

“Give it time, Jeanne,” the brunette snickered. “Give it time.”

The four of them shared a round of genial laughter. Much of their afternoon passed in a similar fashion, with a mixture of pleasant conversation, teasing, and the occasional barbed retort by the elegant Elven mage.

Jeanne considered their two new companions as they rode along. At first glance, Ruby seemed to be a normal, carefree teenager, sometimes like herself in her wants and desires. But then at other times it was if another persona entirely dropped into place, one that was refined and wise beyond her years. It was the latter that the three of them followed so willingly, the commanding girl so confident in her ability to locate this fabled Orb.

The blonde had never been close to an Elf, so she wasn’t sure what to expect from the white-haired mage. Certainly Weiss could be aloof at times, even brusque if she felt her time was being wasted, but conversely she could show a caring side as well, one that was apparently grateful for the companionship of the others.

All told, Jeanne was cheered by the thought that, much as Ruby had implied, she had indeed made a pair of new friends, ones who might last beyond this quest that they found themselves on. And, as hardships presented themselves and adversities were set in their way to be overcome, their bond could only strengthen.

She glanced at her Knight with a smile, but blushed as she realized that the redhead had been staring at her while she was lost in thought. Pyrrha’s blush was as bright as her own, and they both looked away again in embarrassment.

Fortunately, she was saved from having to once again suppress undesired ruminations as they rounded the next bend and a small village came into view.

The road they were traveling upon went right up to the open front gate of the community, but then continued on past, so there was no real need for them to stop. Still, Pyrrha slowed her horse as she glanced to their leader for confirmation of their course.

Ruby, however, did not seem to be controlling her placid mount. The reins were held loosely in her hands as she stared ahead blankly, a look of concentration on her face.

When Jeanne made a closer inspection, she saw that the brunette’s eyes were no longer their usual bright, shining silver, but instead a dark grey, swirling and thunderous.

The blonde swallowed nervously. As she noted Pyrrha loosening her sword in her sheath and tucking her lance into her saddle, Jeanne was quick to do the same. Her head twisted around warily, looking for unseen dangers, but all she could see was the unending forest that they’d been traversing. Most of the nature sounds were now gone, but that was to be expected this close to a settlement.

Just then, a rare cloud drifted across the sun, swallowing them in shadow. It sent a shiver down the young warrior’s back, as though a premonition of doom had just slipped its icy tendrils across her skin.

“Ruby,” the white-haired Elf spoke up quietly but insistently. “What is it?”

The brunette gave herself a shake and turned to the others with a wry grin, her eyes once more like molten quicksilver. “Um, sorry about that. We need to stop here, okay?”

“We do?” Weiss asked skeptically.

“Yup. There’s someone here we need to get.”

Pyrrha and Jeanne shared a glance and a shrug, putting their lances back in hand as they followed the other pair. Evidently, there was no immediate danger, but the blonde kept her eyes moving about nonetheless as they passed under the rough-hewn sign that read ‘Daggerhorn’.

The walled village was a cluster of perhaps three dozen houses or so, with none substantially larger to indicate a town hall or meeting place. Instead there was just a central clearing, where currently many of the occupants of the settlement were now gathered, listening to one person in particular speak.

He was a tall, lanky young man with raven hair, a long green jacket with black and gold trim in the style of some clergy Jeanne remembered seeing in Vale, and white trousers. He had his hands up while speaking gently to those assembled, and it seemed as if he were granting a benediction.

When he shifted his position, Jeanne was shocked to see a streak of magenta coloring in his long hair, currently tied back in a ponytail.

“He doesn’t seem very… priestly,” the blonde murmured.

Pyrrha shrugged nonchalantly. “There are many Orders,” she replied simply.

Weiss turned to their leader, who was focused on the crowd ahead. “So, is this man the one you wish to recruit?”

“Not exactly,” Ruby grinned eagerly. “ _ She’s _ the one who needs to come with us.”

The other three followed her extended finger. Standing just to the side of the priest was a small, orange-haired warrior carrying what had to be the absolute largest warhammer Jeanne had ever laid eyes upon. The shaft came up to the diminutive girl’s crown, and the head of the weapon was easily the width of the blonde’s shield.

“How can she even wield that thing?” Jeanne gasped incredulously.

“Oh, I have an idea,” the brunette smirked. “But that would be telling.”

“Ruby, how do you know she needs to come with us? Why her?” Weiss was looking at the warrior girl, clad in light leather and chain armor with a rather predominant dye of pink. It certainly made her stand out, even disregarding her bright orange short hair and oversized weapon.

“Not important,” Ruby replied with a shake of her head. “She has to come along. If the Cleric will as well, more the better. In fact, I have a feeling they would both follow us.”

Just then the impromptu service broke up, and the four women dismounted in order to move nearer to the oddly mismatched pair. As they got closer, Jeanne could detect the faint hint of pointed ears on the male. With his height and build, though, that likely made him a half-Elf.

The orange-haired girl suspiciously watched the four of them approach with her bright turquoise eyes, gripping her hammer at her side, while the raven-haired man wore a soft smile, leaning on a thin staff the same height as himself.

“Oum’s blessings upon you, friends,” he said gently. “How may I help you on this fine day?”

Ruby stepped forward, her main attention on the man but she was obviously taking close note of the girl’s reactions. “Hi there, my name’s Ruby. My companions and I are on a quest, and I’m really hoping I can convince you guys to join us.”

“A quest?” the girl broke in excitedly. “Like, a real quest, with adventure and everything?”

The brunette grinned as she glanced over at the pink-armored girl. “Yep. My Life Quest, actually.”

“Oh, wow, Renny we gotta help them!” the other girl burbled.

“Patience, Nora,” the man said calmly. “Might I inquire as to the nature of this quest?”

“Absolutely. We’re on our way to retrieve the Orb of Azure and return it to the King of Vale.”

“Ohhh now we  _ gotta  _ go with them!” the girl, Nora, squealed. Jeanne had to smirk at the pained expression on Weiss’ face from the smaller girl’s exuberance.

“Was I ever that bad?” she murmured to Pyrrha.

“Not quite, no,” the redhead chuckled softly.

“My name is Lie Ren,” the man began after a moment’s contemplation.”I am a Cleric of Oum, and while I have certainly been looking for something… different… it would seem that Oum works in mysterious ways.” He looked at the four women, seemingly able to discern their measure with a single glance. “I believe we shall accompany you.”

“Yesss!” the orange-haired girl cheered. “Oh, yeah, I’m Nora Valkyrie. Ren’s bodyguard and lover.”

“Nora,” the man sighed, chagrined.

“Well, I just wanna set the record straight, Renny, if we’re gonna be traveling with four other women. You’re mine.”

Ruby, by this point, was turning pink with suppressed laughter and had to hold onto Weiss to keep herself upright.

“Oh,” she wheezed. “Yeah, this is gonna be great.” She managed to lever herself upright, ignoring the disdainful sniff from the white-haired Mage, and swept her hand to the side. “This is Weiss Schnee, a mage of considerable skill, Lady Pyrrha Nikos, a worthy Knight of Artemis, and her squire, the very capable Jeanne D’Arc.”

The blonde couldn’t help but blush slightly at Ruby’s flowery words. She wasn’t used to such offhanded praise, really.

“A pleasure,” Ren nodded solemnly. He shook hands with them all, murmuring a blessing under his breath as he did so, though Weiss seemed quick to drop his hand and move away from him.

_ That’s an unusual reaction… I wonder what it is she doesn’t like about him? Perhaps she’s uncomfortable around men? _

Before long they were mounted back on their steeds, though now joined by another pair of dappled mares ridden by their new companions. Nora’s was broad-shouldered and was probably a workhorse prior, likely a necessary requirement for the massive warhammer she slung about so casually.

Ruby and Weiss rode in the front, Ren and Nora in the middle, while Pyrrha and Jeanne brought up the rear of the column. As they rode, they were all easily able to converse, and Nora immediately launched into a convoluted tale of herself and her lover against seemingly impossible odds. Jeanne couldn’t follow all of it right away, but it seemed to involve Goblins, Ogres, and an odd ferocious creature called a Sloth which the blonde warrior had never heard of before.

“I think this journey will be quite entertaining,” Pyrrha murmured softly at her side.

Jeanne grinned widely. “Indeed, My Lady.”

As always, she was careful to not place undue emphasis on the title, but both women were cognizant of the warmth it implied.

And, as always, both readily ignored the implications of such out of necessity.

* * *

The darkened warehouse in downtown Vale echoed from the sharp  _ clack  _ of heels. The man waiting at the other end, dressed in a long white coat, black trousers, and a jaunty bowler hat set over his orange hair, tapped his cane on the floor in tune to the approaching footsteps. He had a slight smirk on his face, radiating the carefree attitude he was famous for.

Among other, more unsavory items of note.

When the figure finally emerged from the shadows, he opened his arms wide. “Greetings, My Lady!” he exclaimed smoothly.

“Save it, Roman,” the raven-haired woman retorted sharply. “I don’t have time for your theatrics. Give me your status report quickly, you know I don’t like having to come to you for this.”

“My most sincere and deep apologies,” he replied, his voice dripping with humility. “I would certainly come and visit you…”

“I would not have the Guildmaster of the Thief’s Guild show up on my doorstep,” she replied archly. Her arms crossed over her crimson dress that matched her lips perfectly. “Now talk.”

“As you wish,” Torchwick smirked. “We are progressing nicely towards your goal. Over half of the list has been eliminated. As for the robberies, well, we will reach our target on schedule.”

“Hmm.” The woman tapped a foot in thought. “Crime is certainly up, as far as the official numbers go, but it’s not enough yet. I need you to step up your efforts in that regard.”

“Of course, of course… Now, one of my favorite unsuspecting minions has suddenly stopped accepting jobs,” he admitted unabashedly. “But I can put out some feelers to, let’s just say, outside contractors. Most of those inside the Guild are already committed to the effort.”

“Just get it done, Roman,” she replied. Her amber eyes suddenly flashed a fiery orange as she leaned in slightly. “No mistakes.”

“Of course, My Lady.”

She whirled on her heel and stalked off back into the shadows without another word. He maintained his composure until the sounds of her footsteps faded away, and then slumped his shoulders momentarily.

“Oh, I’ll get it done, My Lady,” he muttered under his breath with a grimace, the title sounding anything but respectful right then.

With a sigh, he straightened back up, the carefree grin returning to his face. Turning his head slightly, he addressed his next words to the darkness behind him.

“Well, you heard the lady. Shall we go find some more unsavory rapscallions, my dear?”

A very petite form glided forward, dressed in a laced white bodice and black vest with black trousers underneath. The first thing visible, though, were her pale eyes, which changed to heterochromatic pink and brown once she blinked. She offered the man a cheerful smile, her dual-tone pink and brown hair in pigtails and bouncing on her shoulders as she walked towards him.

“Yep, thought so,” Torchwick grinned in reply. “Let’s go, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, another pair for the fellowship, and a meeting of some bad guys. Plots, they be happening! Also, some hints of Arkos, though as I indicated previously, it is a bit more complicated. That will come out soon enough.
> 
> Next few chapters will focus in on our fellowship as they close in on their first objective.


	7. Keep It Together

**Volume 1**

******Western Kingdom of Vale**

“Dragons are among the most ancient spirits. Their origins are not known, but they significantly predate the rise of man. [This author advises the reader never to ask a dragon about the early days of humanity, as they tend to remark that we were much more entertaining as a species before we climbed down from the trees.]”   
~ Amy Rae Durreson, Reawakening

 

“That,” Ruby declared solemnly, “is a shitload of Orcs.”

Nora snickered to herself softly, especially at the indulgent sigh from her boyfriend Ren. The Cleric wasn’t all that much of a stickler when it came to profanity, which was likely a good thing or he’d have had a conniption by now with her as a companion, but he would make sure to gently reprimand a person if Oum’s name was ever taken in vain.

Of course, that just made the orange-haired warrior become all the more creative with her curses.

The brunette leader of their little expedition wasn’t wrong, though. The ruined manor ahead of them did indeed seem to be literally teeming with dozens of the bestial humanoids, so far as they could make out in the late afternoon light.

“Do we want to wait until the next morning to attack them?” Jeanne wondered out loud.

“Nope,” Nora interjected cheerfully. “Too much of a chance the buggers find us. They like to send out patrols.”

“Right,” Ruby agreed with a nod. “And Orcs can see in the dark better than Humans, though less so than Elves. Or half-Elves, for that matter,” she added with a nod towards Ren.

At the almost inaudible snort from the white-haired Elven mage, Nora turned slightly to regard the woman. Weiss didn’t give any indication that she’d reacted, which made her frown slightly.

_ She’s been doing a lot of that… wonder what’s up that elegant butt of hers, anyways? _

_ Or maybe she just needs to have something  _ else  _ up her butt to get her to relax? _

Nora chortled to herself quietly, as always keeping her rather raunchy humor to herself. She’d learned from experience that not many appreciated it, and she would rather get to know her companions a little better before inflicting such honors upon them.

“So,” Ruby began, standing up from where she had been crouched alongside the others on the ridge. “Will the horses be okay back here, just tied up like that?”

“I can stay behind to mind them,” the blonde squire spoke with only a small trace of reluctance.

Ruby shook her head adamantly before Pyrrha could open her mouth. “No, I’d rather us all be in on this. Shitload of Orcs, remember?” She frowned slightly then and turned to the redheaded Knight. “Er… if that’s okay, Pyrrha?”

“I was going to recommend the same,” the tall armored warrior replied with a smile. “Jeanne is quite capable, especially when working in tandem with myself.”

Nora absently noted the faint blush that spread across the blue-eyed blonde’s cheeks and added it to the list of curiosities she’d been assembling in her head since she and Ren had joined with this ‘fellowship’.

Hyperactive she might be, but alongside that existed keen observation skills that had kept the two of them alive so far in this dangerous world.

The orange-haired hammer-wielder shook her head. Not the time for that, in any case. She finally had the chance to show her worth to her new friends. Oh, and crack a few skulls in the process.  _ Double win! _

“So what’s the plan?” Nora asked eagerly, bouncing on her toes and causing the patches of chain on her motley pink-dyed armor to jingle slightly.

Ruby glanced around at the group, her silver eyes glittering thoughtfully. “Nora and I take the center assault, work our way up to the main entrance. It’s an angle from here, so Pyrrha and Jeanne, you support our left flank towards the manor itself. Ren and Weiss will stay on your heels, so protect them as well.”

“I do not need protection,” the white-haired Elf stated firmly and without any trace of hubris.

Ruby smirked slightly. “Just… humor me, okay? Stick by Ren’s side, please.”

The Elven mage frowned at that but then nodded, glancing away with a pensive look on her face.

The six of them assembled in a line at the base of the ridge. Ren took a quick moment to utter a blessing, his hands glowing a soft white. As usual after being on the receiving end of her lover’s benedictions, Nora felt as if every nerve ending was tingling in anticipation. The sounds of the forest were clearer, the colors and smells of her companions sharper. The orange-haired woman hefted her hammer eagerly.

“By the way, Weiss,” she murmured over her shoulder, smirking widely. “Anything happens to my boyfriend and you’re paste on the end of  _ Magnhild _ .”

“Nora,” the raven-haired Cleric sighed. “Please don’t threaten our companions.”

“I don’t threaten, Renny. I make promises.”

Weiss scoffed lightly. “Oh for Oum’s sake, I don’t need to listen to this…”

“Language, please,” Ren chided gently. “And also please do excuse her, she gets… excitable before a fight.”

“Hmph.” The Elven mage crossed her arms and stared at the group’s leader. “Well, Ruby, do we finally get to see what this weapon of yours is?”

“Oh, I suppose so, yeah,” the brunette grinned. She pulled out from behind her back an oddly-shaped lump of what looked to be dark metal, piquing Nora’s curiosity.

And then Ruby brought the object to her lips and whispered something too quiet to be overheard. If Weiss’ frown was any indication, she couldn’t pick up on it either.

Without further warning, the metal snapped outwards and into a long, black pole with a crescent blade on the end of it.

A war scythe.

But what was most remarkable about the rarely-seen exotic weapon were the flames that licked along the blade, subtle but most definitely there. Even in the dim light filtering through the trees overhead, Nora could tell they were a red so dark that they looked black.

“That… is so cool…” Nora murmured dreamily.

“Everyone, meet my sweetheart,” Ruby stated proudly, twirling the massive weapon in one hand as if it weighed nothing. “ _ Crescent Rose _ .”

“And you  _ made  _ that?” Weiss finally squeaked out incredulously.

“Eh,” the brunette shrugged modestly. “It’s a talent of mine. Now, shall we?”

“Oh, please,” Nora giggled, now even more excited for the battle to come. “Let’s.”

With that they were off, moving steadily ahead. Nora and Ruby strode side-by-side but a respectable distance from each other to provide room to swing their oversized weapons, while the other four kept off to the left but still within eyesight.

Surprisingly, it took almost a full minute before they came across the first sentry.

The green-skinned, bestial Orc rose to his full height as he saw Nora approach him. Like many of his kind, he wore armor even more mismatched than hers was, decorated with hides and pelts, some of which the orange-haired warrior was sure would be humanoid. He hefted a large, double-bladed battleaxe in his hands as his lips pulled back from his pointed teeth in a snarl, while the black, beady eyes bore into her with an intelligent malice that many had underestimated with his race.

“Intru-”

His bellow was cut short by the head of Nora’s hammer as it made contact with his face, even though he stood a good full two heads taller than her. As she completed the sideways swing, it carried with it half of the Orc’s skull, leaving a bloody visceral mess behind.

Nora grinned widely as she hefted her warhammer high atop the Orc’s corpse. Over the sound of the body thudding to the ground, she let out a fierce cry of her own.

“Come and get some, bitches!”

“I like that,” Ruby giggled, striding forward to meet the first wave of Orcs. “I vote we let Nora come up with our war cries.”

“Seconded!” Pyrrha laughed cheerfully from where she and Jeanne stood firm to receive their end of the onslaught.

“If you are all quite finished…” Weiss stepped to the side from behind Jeanne, rapier grasped firmly on her left, and flicked her other hand up into the air. A sudden gust of wind tore through the trees from behind then, cold and crisp like that of the mountains in the far north. With another hand motion, she slashed downwards, and countless razor-sharp crystalline projectiles hurtled into the advancing Orcs, slicing through them as if they were nothing but wheat in a field.

“Nice job, Weiss!” Ruby cheered. She glanced aside at Nora, her silver eyes darkening into a smoky grey. “Let’s take advantage, huh?”

“I’m with you!” Nora exclaimed, sprinting forward at the lightly-armored girl’s side. 

When Nora had first examined their new leader, she was curious as to what manner of warrior she might be. Not a spell caster, to be sure, as she didn’t give off the right vibe. Some type of rogue was her other thought, explaining the lack of any real substantial armor, but now that she’d seen Ruby’s weapon of choice, she was even more perplexed as to how she expected to survive on a battlefield.

Until she saw her fight.

The brunette, close enough in height to Nora herself if an inch or two taller, moved through the snarling, bellowing mass of Orcs as if she were dancing. Not a single blade or club touched her as she twirled and spun with an almost ethereal grace that the orange-haired girl had never seen before.

As Nora brought her warhammer down on the helmet of one of the Orcs facing her, causing blood and brain matter to splatter out in all directions from under the battered headpiece, she spared a quick glance at her combat partner. Ruby leaped effortlessly over a vicious two-handed sword swing, bringing her scythe around to neatly sever the Orc’s head from his shoulders. She completed the spin before landing in a crouch, eviscerating another pair that had tried to move in behind her. 

The brunette was grinning widely as she surged back to her feet, sprinting forward to impale her darkly-flaming blade into the chest of an Orc wielding a hammer almost the size of  _ Magnhild _ . She used the momentum to spin the now-corpse around, sheltering behind it while several arrows thudded into the back of the body. With a quick yank on the haft of her weapon, Ruby twirled it around her torso, opening up gruesome wounds on another trio of Orcs. The enchanted blade swept aside armor and shields as if they were silk, and even shattered a broadsword that had been used to try and parry the inevitable blow.

Nora had a matching grin on her face as she gleefully spun her hammer in a tight circle, deflecting a pair of swords that had darted in from either side. She rewarded the owners of the blades with a crushed kneecap on the left and a shattered sternum on the right. As she spun in place, she brought her weapon down on the head of the wounded Orc, crushing it deep into the ground.

Without any immediate enemies, Nora spared a concerned glance to see how the others were doing.

Pyrrha and Jeanne stood practically shoulder-to-shoulder as they handedly dealt with the onrush of Orc warriors. Nora let out a quiet whistle of appreciation as she saw the two work in tandem, often blocking strikes aimed at the other with their shields, or striking out at an opponent left off-balanced by another block. Sometimes they would wordlessly slash at an opponent both high and low, cutting their legs out from under them while severing their carotid arteries.

While the Knight and her squire were a bastion of redoubt, Weiss was like an elemental whirlwind. She darted in and out from either side of the pair, slicing with her rapier or sending out icy spears to impale an Orc against a tree or the ground. One unfortunate club-wielding Orc tried to approach her from the side opposite of her weapon, but the alabaster-haired Elf simply side-stepped the attempted attack and brought her hand up to slap against his chest.

Within the blink of an eye he was immolated, the flames licking up from within his very body and turning him to ash before he could even scream.

Nora gave a small shudder as she trailed behind the destructive trail left by Ruby. She’d always been wary of Mages due to their phenomenal power potential, but this Elven woman was something else entirely. Able to deal out certain death with blade or magic.

_ Just glad she’s on our side... _

After another few steps, Nora broke out from the treeline to spy the ruined manor. The walls had held up fairly well, though from this close up she could tell there was no way they would withstand a determined attack. Most of the windows were blown out, and the main doors lay rotting on the ground. She could easily make out the angry shouts and roars of reinforcements coming from inside.

Ruby appeared by her side as if by teleportation. “Alright there, Nora?” the brunette asked cheerfully.

“Just gettin’ warmed up!” she answered with an eager grin.

Nodding, Ruby turned to face the other four as they approached. “Okay, we’ve got a few stragglers from an outdoor camp on the other side coming around and then these bastards inside. How about… Nora, Jeanne, and Weiss go deal with the outside Orcs while the rest of us handle the ones here.”

Nora eyed her doubtfully, uncertain about leaving Ren behind, but the others seemed willing enough to go along with the cursory plan, even Pyrrha and Jeanne.

Shrugging to herself, she supposed the Knight and the scythe-wielder could bottle up the entrance well enough and keep her lover safe.

The three women jogged off around the corner of the building, Jeanne rattling with every step, though to her credit she didn’t seem overly winded. Unlike the white-haired Mage.

“How… far?” the Elf panted out.

“Looks like just around the next corner,” Jeanne stated, pointing with her sword as several Orcs came sprinting in their direction from where she’d indicated.

“You good, Weiss?” Nora asked with some concern. The skirted woman looked to be more worn out than she’d noticed when they started out.

“Fine, I’ll be fine,” Weiss replied breathlessly. “Just… using up a lot of Aura. Can you handle the first wave, let me catch my breath?”

“You got it!” Nora replied cheerfully, while Jeanne just gave her a quick nod. The pair of armored girls slowed their approach so as not to leave the recovering Mage too far behind, and met the rush of Orcs after another heartbeat.

Jeanne crouched and slammed her shield into the first Orc who held a spear in an overhand grip. With a snarl, the blonde thrust her sword into the stunned creature’s belly, twisting her shield around to let him drop to the side. Meanwhile, Nora met the sword strike aimed at her head with her hammer in a clash of steel that sent her opponent’s weapon flying. Her return swing caught the Orc in his stomach, lifting him off of his feet and backwards towards her new combat partner.

“Jeanne!” she called out.

Wordlessly, the blonde set her feet and leaned in with her shield, knocking the airborne Orc onto his back to be dispatched with a swift thrust into his neck.

The pair ignored the pained gurgles as the Orc choked to death on his own blood, wading forward once more. Another Orc dropped, clutching at the intestines that threatened to spill out from his abdomen after a vicious slash from Jeanne, while two more were felled in rapid succession as Nora crushed the head downwards of one, splattering her with gore, while the other one’s head was actually knocked clean off his shoulders.

“Ha!” Nora crowed excitedly. “Didja see that? Didja?”

“Trying not to,” Jeanne muttered, looking faintly greenish in her face.

Nora giggled lightly as she flung her hammer out to the side, cleaning off the majority of the clumps of skin, hair, blood, and other unidentifiable bodily matter. “Please don’t tell me you’re a lightweight.”

“Look, I just- Fuck!”

Nora twisted to the side at the uncharacteristic curse from the normally level-headed apprentice warrior, just in time to avoid a charge by one of the larger and more ornate of the Orcs they’d encountered so far. She swung her hammer around to catch him in the back, but he skipped to the side and lashed out with his greatsword, causing Nora to jump back as well.

Jeanne had quickly recovered at that point and scrambled to her feet from where she’d been bowled over by the initial attack. The two of them stood by each other’s side, eyeing the armored Orc chieftan warily.

“Is that the head Orc here?” the blonde asked quietly.

“It’s a good bet,” Nora agreed levelly. “Weiss?”

“Here,” a light voice sounded from her other side. “Ready to take him.”

“You rutting curs,” the Orc snarled in badly-mangled Common language. “You think you take me? I show you-”

Whatever it was the brash chieftain was willing to show the three women was cut off as he imploded. Messily, and drenching the three of them in visceral gore.

Nora’s eyes followed the head of the tree-sized club that was embedded into the ground where the chieftain once stood, up the haft, and to the enormous hand that held it. Said hand was attached to a grey-skinned Ogre, looming twice as tall as any Orc.

“Well, son of a kitten,” Nora remarked mildly, stunned by the recent turn of events.

Jeanne made a horrible noise in her throat that sounded as if she were about to rid herself of several internal organs. The blonde staggered off to the side and retched behind a tree.

The orange-haired woman glanced aside at Weiss who was staring at the hideously ugly Ogre, open-mouthed and seemingly unaware of the new crimson color decorating her pristine white and light-blue outfit.

“How did that just sneak up on us?” Nora demanded irritably.

Weiss gave herself a shake and looked over at her, a frown gracing her normally elegant face that at that moment still had blood and gore dripping from it. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, how did you not see him? You have Elven eyes!” Nora pointed at her own turquoise orbs incredulously. “Elven! Eyes!”

“Look, I don’t know what sort of racist stereotypes you subscribe to…” the white-haired Mage scoffed.

“Hey!” Jeanne barked out, walking back up and spitting to the side with a grimace. “Can we not argue right now?” The blonde pointed up at the towering Ogre, who was in the process of taking a lumbering step towards them. Her sapphire-blue eyes were wide and slightly panic-stricken. “Let’s worry about the giant Ogre who just made Orc mash!”

Weiss glanced down at herself, scowling at the mess over her outfit before delivering a withering glare that seemed to encompass Nora, Jeanne, and the Ogre as well. “I’ll handle him,” she stated firmly.

“Um, Weiss, I meant all of us…” Jeanne protested weakly, but the Elf was already striding forward, rapier held in her left hand and to the side while her other arm was stretched out towards the Ogre, fingers spread.

Before she could finish her incantation, however, the monster lunged forward with surprising agility and grasped her right forearm with a meaty paw.

“Balls,” Weiss muttered, almost causing Nora to bark out a laugh.

Her humor was quickly wiped as the Ogre lifted the hapless Mage up and squeezed. The white-haired woman let out an anguished shriek of pain as blood and tissue splattered Jeanne and Nora below, adding to the gore already coating the pair.

With a contemptuous grunt, the Ogre casually flung the Elf behind him. Her screams were cut off as she slammed into a tree and sagged to the ground.

“Next!” the Ogre bellowed, hefting his bloody club to his shoulder.

“Oum’s sodding balls,” Jeanne moaned, clutching her sword and shield determinedly.

“Language!” Ren called out as he, Ruby, and Pyrrha raced up.

“Ren!” Nora called out in relief. “Weiss, she’s-”

“I saw,” he replied tersely, not pausing in his sprint. He continued on towards where Weiss had fallen while the other two skidded to a halt.

“Jeanne!” the brunette barked out. “Go with Ren! Pyrrha, give me a shield boost! Nora, hit him low!”

“Got it,” Nora grinned anticipatorily.

Pyrrha took a step forward and crouched, her shield held over her head as Nora surged past her. She skipped to the side, avoiding the Ogre’s massive club as it slammed into the ground where she’d just been, and swung her hammer in a wide circle.

The monster’s knee was smashed inward, buckling his leg at an unnatural angle.

He let out a roar of pain and dropped down on his good knee, but Ruby was already soaring overhead from where she’d sprung off of Pyrrha’s shield.

“Hello, beastie!” the brunette called out gleefully. Her scythe, trailing flames black as dried blood, arced in and embedded directly into one eye, straight through the Ogre’s brain.

Ruby rode the body downwards as it collapsed onto its back, yanking out her blade before hopping nimbly onto the ground.

Without further conversation, the three of them raced over towards where Ren crouched next to Weiss. The white-haired Mage was sitting up, though she was looking around dazedly.

“How bad is it?” Ruby asked worriedly.

“I don’t really want to look,” Weiss replied with an eerie sort of calm.

They all peered over towards her right arm as she slowly lifted it up. It was now horribly mangled with a serious compound fracture in the middle of the forearm. In fact, the bottom half of her arm was only hanging on by a few strands of sinew and tissue.

The reactions were as varied as they themselves were. Jeanne made a gagging sound but managed not to throw up this time, while even Pyrrha looked a bit green at the sight. Ruby simply sighed and shook her head slightly.

As for Nora, she just looked on with interest.

“Wow, that’s the worst arm wound I’ve ever seen,” she murmured appreciatively.

Weiss looked around at the others, her pale blue eyes clouded. “Am I in shock?”

“Um, yes,” Ren replied patiently. “You are. Please stop dangling it around.”

The raven-haired Cleric placed a firm hand on her shoulder, pressing her back down onto the ground as his other hand hovered over the gruesome remains of her arm.

“This will hurt a little bit.”

Weiss nodded wanly, clearly not really registering anything going on. Ren moved his other hand over to join the first and closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath. On the exhale, he began to murmur, imploring Oum to aid his comrade.

His hands began to glow white as the healing Aura surged through him and into Weiss. Faster than Nora’s eye could track, muscle and sinew began to reknit themselves, bone snapped back into place, and flesh mended.

Weiss let out a loud shriek once more. “Son of an Orc!”

As Ren finished his work, Weiss lay there with her eyes screwed shut, whimpering piteously. Before too long, though, the Cleric sat back on his heels and let out an exhausted breath.

“It’s done,” he stated softly.

The white-haired Mage cracked an eye open warily. “Ow?” she murmured weakly.

Ren chuckled as he stood up, brushing his white pants off. “You’ll need to rest and recover, I drew heavily upon your Aura as well.”

“I can tell,” Weiss breathed. “Er… thank you.”

“Of course,” Ren smiled.

The orange-haired warrior grabbed Ren in a tight one-armed hug. “That’s my boyfriend,” she stated proudly.

“Nora, you are covered in… What exactly are you covered in?”

“Oh, you know,” she grinned unabashedly. “A little bit of Orc, a little bit of Weiss, maybe a little Ogre too.”

“Alright then,” Ruby interjected, looking around at the group. “Seems we cleared the area now. Pyrrha, Jeanne, can you two please stay with Weiss while she recovers? Ren, Nora, and myself will go into the manor. Should be back soon.”

Pyrrha nodded in acceptance as Jeanne bent over to help Weiss into a more comfortable position against the tree. “We’ll keep her safe.”

“I know you will,” the brunette replied with a wink. “Whelp, let’s go guys, we got a library to find!”

As the three of them made their way around the side of the manor, Nora still dripping with various liquids, Ruby glanced aside at Ren curiously.

“That was some pretty powerful healing magic,” she stated softly.

Ren nodded calmly. “It was. Oum has favored me this day, and certainly seems to favor the path we are set upon.”

“I see. Easy as that, then?” Ruby kept her gaze on the raven-haired man, her silver eyes inquisitive. “Just… Oum’s favor?”

“Somewhat. A great deal also depends on my own will, my determination, and my Aura.”

“And also because he’s just that awesome,” Nora snickered.

Ren shot her a warm but amused look as they entered into the main hall of the manor, stepping over more than a few hacked and bloody Orc corpses.

The three of them made their way upstairs and along a hallway filled with doors that had been ripped off their hinges. They poked their heads inside each room, continuing on until Ruby let out a quiet, triumphant shout.

“Found it! And looks like we got here in time, they haven’t started using the books as fuel for their fires yet!”

“Praise Oum,” Ren murmured. “That would have been an abrupt ending to your quest, would it not?”

“I’ll say,” Ruby chuckled as she walked about the room, staring at the dusty shelves lined with books of all sorts. There were some bound by leather, others cloth, and more than a few scrolls. A few had been dumped onto the floor, but for the most part the Orcs had avoided the room due to lack of interest.

“Now, if I were a book on Dragons, where would I be…” the brunette murmured, running a finger along a shelf.

“Is this a particularly rare tome?” Ren asked, while Nora stood guard at the door. She’d never bothered to learn how to read, that’s what she had Ren for.

And besides, she always loved it when he read stories to her. She could listen to the handsome half-Elf all day long, the quiet and sonorous voice that could lull her into a state of blissful calm.

She was shaken from her reverie by Ruby’s absent-minded answer.

“It is, yes. The only copy left, actually.”

“And you mentioned it was regarding Dragons?”

“Yep, ancient ones, in fact…” Ruby pursed her lips as she shifted over to another shelf. “And I need an answer about one in particular… Or rather, the name of a certain Dragon’s Mate… Aha!”

She grinned widely as she pulled out a medium-sized tome bound in black leather. It was engraved with intricate designs around the entire cover, but from where Nora stood she couldn’t make out the details

Ruby flipped the book open carefully, sliding a finger along as she skimmed a few pages. “Yes… Yep, this is it!”

“May I?” Ren asked, motioning towards the tome as Ruby flipped it shut.

The brunette’s face stilled, her silver eyes clouding over into a dark grey very briefly before regaining their shine once more. “Er… don’t take this the wrong way, Ren… but I’d rather you didn’t.”

Ren regarded the group leader curiously but shrugged his shoulders in acceptance. “Very well.”

With a grateful smile, Ruby slipped the book into her knapsack. “Okay, then, let’s go gather up the others and head back to Vale!”

“Ohhh, haven’t been to Vale in  _ ages _ ,” Nora said excitedly as she skipped alongside the others.

“Please, Nora,” Ren implored quietly. “Can we try not to get kicked out this time?”

“I make no promises, Renny!”

Ruby snickered softly, shaking her head as they exited the building. “Yeah, this group is gonna be  _ all  _ sorts of fun…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the sequence regarding the Ogre is a direct homage to one of the best comics around, Rat Queens. Major props to the creators, Wiebe and Upchurch. If you haven’t picked up any copies, I highly recommend them.
> 
> Not really trying to hide what Ruby and Yang might be from the readers, many of you have already picked up on it. But the other characters remain blissfully unaware.
> 
> In other news, I’ve done some polishing to the outline for this story. As it stands now, we’ll split it into 4 volumes (all within the same story, though), with roughly 10 chapters apiece. The volumes are really just story arcs, and signal the milestones within the story. Does that make sense?


	8. Bloody Little Vermin

**Volume 1**

******Western Kingdom of Vale**

“To be honest, Briec doesn’t consider fights with humans as battles. I think he sees that more as   
hunting. Or a snack that runs.”    
~ G.A. Aiken, About a Dragon

 

Weiss flexed her right hand absent-mindedly as she stared into the campfire. She’d changed her gore-drenched clothing earlier, as had most of her companions once they’d traveled a fair distance away from the manor they’d recently assaulted, though her new clothes retained the same pale color motif.

_ I wonder what it would be like to own something in a color other than white or light blue _ , she mused idly.  _ Red, or green, or… No, let’s not get too drastic. Pink, perhaps? _

Her eyes darted to the side where Ren sat, next to his exuberant girlfriend who was regaling the group with details of the fight earlier in the day. Nora was scrubbing off her armor, clad only in a pair of loose trousers and a baggy tunic, much like Jeanne was next to her. The two women shared a bucket that was growing more bloody by the minute.

Ruby entered into the light, carrying a fresh bucket with her for the pair. The blonde Knight-in-training gave her a grateful smile as she set it down.

“My thanks, m’lady.”

“Pfft, no worries,” the brunette waved her off as she sat across the fire. Her silver eyes focused in on Weiss immediately. “You get your coat cleaned off okay?”

The white-haired Elf nodded slightly. “Yes, a good dunk in the river and a little bit of magic did wonders, the embroidered runes are still perfectly functional.”

“Good to hear.”

Weiss tuned the others out, running her left hand over her other arm as if making sure it was still attached.

_ I don’t believe yellow would be a good color. Perhaps a pale green…? _

Her attention returned to the group once more, ears perked up as Nora’s ramblings suddenly became more focused.

“I- I’m sorry?” Jeanne stammered, fumbling the shin guard in her hands.

“I said,” Nora replied patiently. “What’s the deal with you and Pyrrha? You two obviously have a thing going on, why keep it a secret?”

Jeanne’s sapphire blue eyes flickered worriedly around the clearing, as if she could seek out where the redheaded Knight was patrolling along the perimeter on her watch.

“We are not together,” she mumbled, downcast.

“No?” The orange-haired petite woman’s eyebrows furrowed. “But-”

“No!” Jeanne practically shouted, this time dropping the piece of armor into the dirt. Her face immediately flushed in embarrassment at the outburst as she picked the armor piece back up, wiping it clean and returning it to the pile next to her.

“Jeanne… you don’t need to explain anything you don’t want to,” Ruby interjected calmly.

“No, it’s… I suppose…” The blonde let out a huff of frustration as she sat back against the log, her eyes closed and face upturned. Weiss was shocked to see a single tear trickle down the warrior’s face, glittering in the firelight as it made its way down to her chin line.

“I have been with Lady Nikos for a little over a year now,” Jeanne began softly. “Admittedly, I was attracted to her from the very start, but I never expected… You have to understand, within the Order, things are very… codified. She is my Knight, I am her squire. Anything that…”

The blonde swallowed, opening her eyes to stare into the fire. “Some months ago we talked. Just the one time, and we… we both admitted…”

Ruby shifted over to sit next to the struggling blonde, rubbing a hand along her back in reassurance.

“I have wanted to be a Knight ever since I can remember,” Jeanne finally continued, her voice just barely audible over the crackling campfire. “If we were to ever… act… upon our feelings… And then for her, well, life would certainly become more difficult. She wouldn’t be expelled as I would… but she would be so terribly dishonored. I could never... “ Her blue eyes, shining brightly, turned to face an unusually solemn Nora once more. “So, no. There is nothing between us. And nothing ever shall be between us other than the relationship of a mentor and her student.”

“But what if you were to attain Knighthood?” Ren asked quietly.

Jeanne sighed once more, despondency etched into her features. “For that to happen, I would need to actually be proficient with a lance. Or, perhaps with a deed virtuous and noble enough… But yes, I suppose if she would still feel the same, after all that time…” She smiled sadly, glancing around the campfire at the assembled companions. “I can still dream,” she ended with a whisper.

The blonde got to her feet, sniffling discreetly, and gathered her armor up. “I believe I shall turn in,” she remarked over her shoulder, her young voice strong once more. “I have the watch after you, Ruby, is that correct?”

“Yep, that’s right. I’ll wake you.”

“Very well.”

Weiss’ eyes followed the blonde warrior as she stacked her armor neatly, unsheathed her sword to lay next to her, and then curled up under her bedding with her back to the fire.

She suddenly didn’t feel like hiding anymore behind ridiculous ruminations of wardrobe changes.

With a quick inhalation, the alabaster-haired girl rose up, only to slide onto the log next to Ren.

The half-Elf looked over towards her with a warm smile. “How is your arm feeling?”

“Very well, thank you,” Weiss murmured, rubbing at it with her left hand again. “I… I did want to thank you once more, for your healing.”

“Of course,” the raven-haired man replied quietly. “It was my duty as a Cleric of Oum, as well as my honor as a member of this fellowship.”

The white-haired Mage nodded slowly, glancing aside briefly at the others. Ruby seemed to be absorbed in reading the tome she’d taken from the manor library, while Nora, for a change, was quietly scrubbing at her leather-and-chainmail chestpiece.

“You know I’m from the hinterlands, yes?” she finally asked hesitantly.

“Indeed, I did hear of this.”

“It’s been… difficult for me to adjust to life down South. The community I lived in, the entire city of Evereska, really, was so reclusive and… Well, I suppose you might call it ‘elitist’, really.” She smiled slightly in self-depreciation. “You might have noticed that Elves can be rather full of themselves.”

She ignored the snicker from Nora, though Ren simply waited patiently for her to continue.

“In any case, one of the, er, prejudices I’ve had to overcome have to do with…” She clamped her lips over the word  _ mongrels  _ before it could escape, and struggled to find something much less offensive. “People of… mixed heritage.” Her pale blue eyes flickered once again, this time at his ears. While pointed, they were far less pronounced than Weiss’ own.

“I see,” Ren replied neutrally, his face not betraying any emotion.

“I thought I was doing so much better.” Weiss gave a small, bitter laugh. “And then you joined us, the first… half-Elf I’ve ever seen. And once again, I couldn’t manage to get past my ingrained prejudices. It took you saving my arm, and likely my life, for me to finally accept you as a… as a person.”

She finally noticed that her right hand had been spasming open and closed, and quickly covered it with her left to still her neurotic fidgeting. “In any case… I simply wanted to apologize to you, and… I don’t know, perhaps make a pledge to do better. To  _ be _ better than the bigoted culture that produced me.”

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the sounds of Nora’s repeated strokes of her washcloth and the pop of wood burning.

“I don’t believe you are as much a product of your culture as you think yourself to be.”

Weiss swiveled her head, staring at the solemn Cleric next to her. “How can you say that?”

“Well, you are here next to me right now, are you not? Can you ever imagine an Elf still entrenched in your culture to be apologizing for their behavior?”

She allowed a slight smile to grow on her face at that. “No,” she replied simply.

Ren straightened his shoulders and offered her a warm smile of his own. “Also, you have not exactly been openly hostile with me. I can tell how sincere you are, and how much you are trying to better yourself.”

“I am, truly,” the Elven Mage replied firmly.

“Very well, then.” He extended his hand towards her, still smiling reassuringly. “Though I do not believe an apology is necessary, I will accept it for your sake. Also, if you are willing, I would be most honored to call you a friend.”

“I… would very much appreciate that,” she murmured, somewhat taken aback but pleased nonetheless. She grasped his hand, her smile widening. “I would like to call you a friend as well.”

Ruby snickered softly from where she was sitting, causing Weiss to frown as she released Ren’s hand.

“What is so funny, dolt?”

“Dolt?” Ruby repeated, not even trying to conceal her humor. “Oh, that’s a good one… No, but you two, you guys are so funny, so… so  _ serious _ !” She pitched her voice higher, obviously mocking Weiss. “Will you be my friend?”

“Oh, hush,” Weiss returned, crossing her arms irritably. “Just because we’re more  _ civilized… _ ”

That only caused Ruby to laugh all the harder. She turned to a grinning Nora, who was observing the interaction with humor.

“See, now… Nora and I, we fought next to each other,” Ruby chuckled. “You’re my bud, right Nora?”

“Yep, you bet!” the orange-haired warrior replied cheerfully.

“See, that’s all there is to it!”

Weiss let out a huff as she turned her head away. “There is more to it than that. You are simply being irritating.”

“So I’ve been told,” the brunette giggled unrepentantly. “Well, how about us? Am I your bestest bud or not?”

“What?” she sputtered, rounding on the jovial brunette. “Of all the absurd… Whatever gave you that impression?”

“Oh, come on now, you know you love me, Weissy…”

“And what did I tell you about calling me that?”

“ _Thaaaat_ it was endearing?”

“No, you dolt!”

By this point Nora had ceased even trying to maintain any state of decorum. She’d dropped her chestpiece as she rolled over and onto her side, chortling merrily.

“You know,” a new voice entered the conversation from the edge of the clearing. “It is customary to keep one’s voice down while camping out in the wilds like this.” Pyrrha entered, the firelight reflecting off of her burnished red-and-gold armor. “It attracts unwanted attention.”

“Thank you!” Jeanne called out irritably from her bedroll.

“Sorry, sorry,” Ruby chuckled as she stood and stretched. “My turn?”

“Indeed. Nothing that I could see or sense nearby.” The redhead strolled over to where her bedroll lay and began to strip out of her armor.

Ruby gave them all a nod, including a cheeky wink at Weiss who studiously ignored it, and then quickly disappeared into the darkness as it swallowed her whole.

The alabaster-haired Elf stood as well, offering Ren one last shy smile. “Well… Thank you once again for saving my arm.”

“You are welcome once again,” he replied with a smile of his own.

As Weiss made her way to her own bedroll, Nora finally spoke up from her seat.

“Oh, hey, Weiss…”

She turned to politely regarded her, one elegant eyebrow raised inquisitively.

The orange-haired hammer-wielder gave her a smirk. “Glad you’re making nice and all, but don’t even think about trying to take my man away.” Her smirk deepened into something far more dangerous. “‘Cause they’ll never find the body parts.”

“Nora,” the raven-haired man sighed in resignation.

Weiss just shook her head. “Men do not interest me in such a fashion.”

“Oh, really?” Nora jumped up from the log, leaving her armor behind as she skipped over to where Weiss was now trying to prepare for bed. “Sooo how many women have you been with?”

The Elf blushed brightly. “If you must know… none.”

“None?”

“Precisely.”

“Hmm.” Nora sat cross-legged next to her as she lay upon her blankets. The Elven Mage sighed as she realized Nora would not be deterred from her new-found interest.

“So then, what kind of women do you like? Ohhh!” Nora squealed softly, leaning over and dropping her voice to a whisper. “What about Ruby, is that why you tagged along?”

“Certainly not!” she scoffed. “She acts far too immature at times for my liking. Also…” She cleared her throat and turned away, blushing once more. “Nevermind,” she mumbled.

She heard scuffling as Nora scooted around so crouch beside her head once more. “Nevermind what?”

“Nevermind, as in never you mind.”

“Oh, come on now…”

“No. Good night, Nora.”

“Nope, not gonna leave this alone. C’mon, you were about to say something… Oh, is it your type? The type of women you’re attracted to?” Nora grinned widely as she leaned over Weiss’ head, close enough to kiss were she so inclined. “Is it me?”

“No!”

“Well, then, who?”

“Nobody in this group, that is for certain!”

“I’m not leaving until you tell me… c’mon, you know you wanna…”

Weiss sighed deeply.  _ Ren must have boundless reserves of patience. _ “Very well, if it will allow me to sleep…”

“Uh-huh, yeah?”

She lowered her voice to a fierce whisper. “And you tell absolutely  _ nobody  _ about this, do you hear me?”

Nora giggled, making a motion of sealing her lips.

Weiss sighed once more, rolling her eyes at the preposterousness of the whole situation. “I happen to prefer… buxom women.”

“Buxom?”

“You know…” Weiss glanced around to make sure she wasn’t being observed before she held her hands out from her chest. “With large…”

“Oh, you like big boobs!”

Weiss bit back a groan. “Yes, Nora, precisely.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, I just…” A faint smile finally cracked her face as she decided to just go with the whole thing at this point. “Have you ever seen an Elf that wasn’t slender?”

“Hmm, you’re right…” Nora tapped her chin thoughtfully. “ _Sooo_ a woman with big boobs is as exotic to you as, say, an Elven woman to someone who’d only grown up around Humans.”

“Er, yes, that’s a fair way to describe it…” She blinked her eyes, perplexed at the sudden insight from the normally carefree and indecorous woman.

“Great! Well, good talk, Weiss, I’ll let you get to sleep then…” As she made to stand up, she paused at looked down at her, turquoise eyes glittering in the dim light. “Hey, can I be your friend too?”

“Yes, Nora,” the Elf sighed, good-naturedly this time. “We may be friends.”

“Yay!” the orange-haired girl cheered quietly before skipping back to the campfire. “Renny! I made another friend!”

“That’s nice, Nora,” the raven-haired man replied patiently.

Weiss rolled her eyes before closing them.  _ Such an odd group this fellowship is. _

_ And yet… I feel more comfortable here than with any group I have ever associated with. Is that a reflection on me, or these people, I wonder? _

* * *

When next Weiss woke, it was to startled shouts of alarm. She immediately popped her eyes open, only to peer into a rat-like face with glittering yellow eyes and facial hair that covered most of its elongated jaw. Clasped in the creature’s hand was the silver clip that Weiss used at night to keep her hair from getting tangled as she slept.

The two looked at each other, unblinkingly, for the span of a heartbeat before Weiss let out a shriek, bolting upright. The creature scampered backwards and shot off into the dark before she could even summon a spell.

“Oum’s blood!” Jeanne ground out angrily from where she stomped through the clearing. “Filthy little vermin!”

“Language,” Ren called out sleepily. He was struggling to sit up, though he couldn’t seem to extract himself from a still-snoring Nora.

“W- What was that thing?” Weiss asked shakily.

“Kobolds!” Jeanne barked out angrily. But then she glanced aside at Ren with an abashed look. “Er, and sorry, Ren, I just… Um… Why are the two of you naked?”

Weiss looked over to see Nora finally rousing herself, only to divert her gaze with a blush. Yes, yes they were both quite naked.

“Well, you see,” Nora said in between jaw-splitting yawns. “When two people really like each other, they get together and-”

“I know what sex is!” Jeanne returned hotly. “I meant, why were you… Oh my Oum, were you two…?”

“Circle of Silence,” Nora replied smugly. “Best Clerical spell ever.”

“Nora,” her boyfriend chided gently as he pulled his pants on. “Please get dressed.”

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose before turning back to the sputtering blonde. “Why were there… Kobolds… here? And where are Ruby and Pyrrha?”

“Wait, what? There were Kobolds here?” Nora demanded, leaping up and scurrying around the campsite, still stark naked. “Oum’s bloody ballsack, they took my boot! I knew it!”

Weiss tuned the excitable girl out, as well as Ren’s renewed chastising, to confront Jeanne. “Well?”

“Ruby and Pyrrha are trying to track down the Kobold lair. Kobolds…” The blonde shrugged as she looked about the clearing. “They’re odd scavengers. Vicious in packs and when cornered, but mostly they raid campsites and steal just… strange stuff. Shiny things, like belt buckles or hair pins. They also have this weird thing about left shoes.”

“Er…” Weiss stared back in perplexion. “Left… shoes?”

“Yeah, just the left ones. Nobody knows why.” Jeanne sighed and tapped her finger along her sheathed sword. “Only thing I’ve found missing is one of the clasps for my cloak. I imagine we’ll find more-”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?”

Both Jeanne and Weiss turned at the Banshee-like screech. Nora was standing over her armor, hands on her hips and fury radiating from every fibre of her still very naked body.

“They took all the buckles off of my armor!” she ranted angrily. “I’m gonna kill ‘em! I’m gonna track ‘em down, and spit ‘em on a spear, and roast ‘em over a fire!”

“Er, Nora,” the alabaster-haired Elf began cautiously, her hands held out consolingly. “Why don’t you stay and… protect the site, alright? I can see better in the dark, I’ll try and track them…”

“I will go as well,” Ren added, hefting his staff over a shoulder. He was fully dressed now, save for the shoes. Weiss glanced down curiously, which he returned with a sheepish smile. 

“Left shoe?” she asked.

He nodded. “Left shoe. Shall we?”

Weiss was suddenly very glad she’d kept her boots on when she went to sleep. Still, that creature had taken her hair clip, a gift from her sister, and she was determined to retrieve it.

Leaving Jeanne and the still irate Nora behind, the pair headed through the woods. Initially they followed the trail left by either Pyrrha or Ruby, but soon enough they could see where the small creatures had converged together before moving off.

“Those are quite a few footprints,” Ren commented quietly. “It’s a large pack, I hope the others don’t run into trouble.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t handle,” Weiss replied confidently. She froze, though, as her enhanced eyesight saw something up ahead. She rested a hand on Ren’s arm to alert him since his vision wouldn’t be quite as sharp as hers.

She nodded ahead and then stalked forward. Her memories returned to her childhood, playing hide and seek with her older sister Winter as they practiced the skills innate to any Elf, but she shook the thought off, focusing on the task at hand.

Only a few dozen paces later and she could make out the details of the form ahead.

“Pyrrha?” she asked hesitantly.

“Oh, thank goodness,” the redhead called out. “I’m over here!”

“Yes, Pyrrha, we can see you perfectly well,” Weiss replied wryly as they joined the redheaded Knight.

“Well, yes, sorry…” Pyrrha looked about abashedly. She was barefoot and clad only in a linen shift that came down just past her knees, though she clenched her drawn sword in her hand determinedly. “Er, I lost track of Ruby, and I cannot see well enough to return to camp.” She chuckled mildly, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m afraid I didn’t quite think through the ramifications of my pursuit.”

Weiss shook her head and chuckled in return. “Yes, well… Ren, why don’t you bring Pyrrha back and I’ll follow Ruby?”

The three of them agreed on that course of action after only some argument, Pyrrha wanting to continue the tracking and Ren unsure about leaving the Mage alone. Weiss assured them this was for the best, as she was able to see better than either of them in the dark and could join their brunette leader both quickly and stealthily.

Soon enough Weiss was racing through the forest, right hand firmly grasping the handle of her rapier. Her booted feet landed each step surely and quietly, missing any branch or dry leaf in her path.

So intently was she concentrating on her progress that she almost stumbled right into the pack of Kobolds.

There were about twenty of them gathered in front of a cave, milling about uncertainly and barking at each other in a guttural tongue. They seemed nervous, as if aware of the pursuit, though Weiss could see no sign of Ruby.

She clenched her sword even more tightly, gritting her teeth. An ice storm would freeze them all in place, though it would make retrieval of their items more problematic. Perhaps an illusion?

_ No, I’ve never been very proficient with illusions, and besides which, they’d just run away with our belongings... _

She’d almost decided on a paralysis spell that  _ might  _ catch most of them, when she noticed the entire pack of Kobolds suddenly freeze, stiffening up and sniffing the air cautiously. Weiss began to trace the intricate runes for the complex spell, but then ceased as she saw movement at the other end near the cave.

Ruby emerged from the shadows, the hood of her red cloak pulled over her head. The reaction from the Kobolds was mixed, some of them turning to flee while others looked to be ready to fight. At a single incomprehensible barked order from the brunette, though, the pack once again stilled.

The alabaster-haired Elf watched Ruby approach the now-cowering Kobolds with interest.  _ What’s this, then? I’m fairly certain she’s not a spell-caster, so how is she…? _

She managed to suppress the gasp as Ruby lowered her hood, revealing swirling orbs of angry grey. Weiss had seen the brunette’s eyes change color before, from silver to the color of storm clouds, but this was much more pronounced, almost as if she were projecting some sort of power.

_ Who  _ is _ this Human girl? _

Ruby made a few curt gestures, and the Kobolds fell over themselves to empty their pockets and packs of the fellowship’s belongings. Another sweep of her hand and the creatures fled back into their cave without another sound.

With a sigh, the petite brunette bent down and began collecting up the various objects littering the ground in front of her.

“You going to just stare at me, Weiss, or can you help?” she called out without looking up.

“O- Of course,” she stammered out, gliding out of the woodline. She bent down wordlessly, scooping up Nora’s armor buckles.

As her hand closed around her stolen hairclip, she snuck a side glance at the now-placid girl by her side.

She resolved to keep a much closer eye on her intriguing companion, as she was reminded ever more forcibly that she was not all as she seemed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like big boobs and I cannot lie… Well, Weiss does anyways. Hmm, I suppose that tears away the last vestiges of mystery surrounding who the other pairings will be, correct? Yep, that’s right faithful readers, we shall have Freezerburn and Ladybug up in here. Eventually.
> 
> So there are only two chapters left in this first volume, and the both of them deal with the merging of the fellowship with Yang and Blake. Thanks for reading up to this point!


	9. End Of A Quest…

**Volume 1**

******City of Vale**

“But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them.”    
~ Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

 

Pyrrha eyed the guard atop the walls of Vale as they approached. She and Jeanne were, as usual, bringing up the rear of their party, her squire with the reins of the supply-bearing spare horse attached to the pommel of her saddle.

“Does it seem to anyone else that things seem a little more… tense?” she called out, interrupting Nora’s rambling story regarding a Troll who was somehow simply a misunderstood artist whose preferred medium just happened to be blood.

Ruby turned in her saddle, silver eyes shining in the early twilight. The setting sun made the orbs appear to be dancing with flames. 

“I did notice that, yeah. Gonna make our next steps a little harder, but we’ll manage.”

“Yes, you still haven’t explained that part fully,” the alabaster-haired Elf at her side commented. “How exactly are you going to search the entire city for this manuscript?”

“Eh, I’ll figure out a way,” the brunette replied breezily.

“I shall pray to Oum for inspiration,” Ren stated softly.

The redheaded Knight eyed him warily, unsure if he were being facetious or not, but the amused eye rolls from both Nora and Weiss finally clued her in.

“It’s nice to see the group so cohesive,” Jeanne commented quietly.

Pyrrha shot the blonde a warm smile. “Indeed. I am happy that Weiss worked things out.”

Jeanne smiled back, but then ducked her head in embarrassment. Shaking her head with a sigh, Pyrrha resumed her observation of the armsmen patrolling the battlements.

_ I wish things were different, Jeanne… I truly do... _

If it were only her at risk, she might have actually considered throwing caution to the wind. But it wasn’t, and if it were anyone else then their love might not be such a forbidden quagmire of emotions.

She was a Knight. Jeanne was her squire. And that was all there was to it.

At least until the blonde warrior became a Knight herself.

_ Would she wait for me that long, though? After all we’ve been through, so many months of denying our feelings for each other… Why would she hold onto hope for that long? _

She was pulled away from her despondent thoughts by Ruby’s voice, the leader obviously having been calling for her more than the once.

“I’m sorry,” she returned abashedly. “What was that?”

The brunette gave her a wryly sympathetic grin.  _ Sometimes that girl can be far too perceptive, I imagine she somehow knows exactly what I was pondering. _

“I said, there are Knights at the gate, I believe from your Order. Would you like to do the honors?”

“Certainly,” she replied evenly. Giving her warhorse a gentle nudge with her knees, she broke into a canter. Jeanne dutifully followed after transferring the spare horse to Ren. The blonde kept her own horse trailing behind and to the left, indicating her subservient status.

“Well met, my sisters,” Pyrrha called out in a clear, ringing voice as they approached.

There were four of them, wearing the same white sash bearing a black crow gripping an arrow that she herself did, hanging from their belts on their right side. All were dressed in armor of varying colors, bearing shields across their backs and swords belted at their hips.

One stepped forward, the senior member of the party. She was well known to Pyrrha from when they first had arrived in Vale, as much as the others were. The lightly-tanned Elf had indigo hair that was fairly short and spiky but for the left side which was brushed over to hang just down to her eyebrow. Nebula blinked her olive green eyes and rested a hand on the hip of her grey fitted armor as she shot the approaching pair a warm smile.

“Well met, my sister,” she returned. The Elven Knight granted Jeanne a brief though amicable nod. “Novitiate.”

“You appear to have picked up some friends,” another with long brick-red hair called out. Octavia’s patchwork brown and slate armor looked deceptively fragile as always, though Pyrrha knew it to be just as finely crafted as any Knight’s.

“Indeed,” the green-armored Dew stated quietly, brushing her long flowing dark blonde hair off to the left side, her violet eyes twinkling merrily. “Have you been out causing trouble?”

“Always,” Pyrrha chuckled lightly. “But in any case, we have returned from our adventure and would seek re-entry into the city. Has something occurred to warrant such heightened scrutiny, by Knights of Artemis no less, at the gates?”

“You could say that,” the last Knight, a woman with olive skin and medium curly black hair pulled back from her face into ringlets uttered darkly. “Crime is rampant, and the bloody King’s council sits around and dithers. I hear there is but one advisor who is worth anything, but she makes little headway against the other pompous fools.”

“Behave, Gwen,” Nebula chided gently. “You are just bitter that the King removed the Knights from his council.”

“He did?” Pyrrha exclaimed, startled. Met with four somber nods, the redheaded Knight stared out into the city ahead with no small amount of perplexion. The heads of the main Orders located inside the city, be they Artemis or Cardinal or even the venerable Order of Oum itself, were always granted a seat on the King’s advisory council. They had no vote,  _ per se _ , but their voice was always heard.

Granted, the typical representative from the Order of the Cardinal was usually more of a hinderance to polite and meaningful discourse, but still…

“This is most disturbing, my sisters,” Pyrrha finally stated. “But it does not deter us from entering the city, if we are still able to do so.”

“Of course, sister,” Nebula replied warmly. “Can I assume the others of your party are under your purview?”

“You may.”

“Then I will not need to interview nor register them,” the purple-haired Knight replied. “Pass freely and be well.”

“I thank you,” Pyrrha smiled. “Perhaps at some point we might visit you at the keep?”

“That would be lovely,” Dew grinned. “You still owe me a sparring session.”

With another smile, Pyrrha turned back towards the patiently awaiting group, Jeanne still trailing respectfully behind. She stopped her horse, guiding it beside Ruby’s as she succinctly explained the troubles currently plaguing Vale.

“I might be able to use this,” the brunette mused. “Well, in any case, let’s get inside. Thanks for handling that, Pyrrha, and you too, Jeanne.”

“Of course,” Pyrrha replied. Her smile widened at her squire’s blush from the unnecessary thanks. “Do you have a destination in mind?”

“I stayed at this one really nice tavern the last time,” Ruby began as they moved forward. “In fact, that’s where I met Weiss.”

The Elven Mage nodded levelly. “The Crow’s Rest.”

“Yep, that’s the one. Pretty sure there’s a stable right across from it, so let’s just head on over. It’s on a cross-street right inside this gate.”

The party rode inside the city, following Ruby’s lead as she turned at the first intersection.

“It’s probably a good thing we didn’t have to sign in,” Nora confided to Pyrrha quietly. “I think I’m still banned. Well, maybe, I mean, it’s been awhile…”

“What did you do to get banned?” Jeanne asked with considerable levity.

“Oh, you know,” the orange-haired warrior replied airily. “Just a little bar brawl that resulted in the total destruction of said bar… and perhaps hospitalization of some guardsmen… and a couple of those Cardinal Knights…”

Pyrrha desperately tried to hide her amusement, especially as it pertained to Knights. Though, truthfully, she was just as happy to see any member of that misogynistic, elitist, bigoted Order fall upon misfortune.

Rumor had it that hundreds of years ago, things were much as they are now with regards to the Order of the Cardinal. They only accepted Human males of noble blood. Historically they were viewed as effective deterrents of crime and banditry, but they were also famous for their harsh judgements and treatment of suspects. The Order of Artemis was supposedly founded in direct contrast to the authoritative Cardinals.

Things hadn’t improved much over the years, and they were oftentimes bitter rivals.

As Nora regaled them with a brief but colorful description of the legendary brawl, with Ren nodding in resigned confirmation, Jeanne was laughing heartily. Tears of mirth streamed from her sapphire blue orbs as she attempted to remain upright in her saddle.

“You seem to have a penchant for the breaking of your opponent’s legs,” Pyrrha commented wryly after the pink-armored woman was done.

“Oh, it’s not me,” Nora replied innocently, though her turquoise eyes were sparkling with mischief. “It’s  _ Magnhild _ , she just can’t help herself.”

“Uh-huh,” Jeanne giggled doubtfully. “The hammer did it.”

“Yep, she’s just got a mind of her own sometimes.”

“Nora,” her lover sighed indulgently. “Do not make it sound as if you have a sentient weapon.”

“But wouldn’t it be totally cool if I did?” Nora said excitedly, bouncing in her saddle.

Jeanne nodded with a wide grin. “Yes, totally.”

They arrived in front of a stable then, the six of them dismounting and handing their mounts over and into the care of the proprietor. Ruby instructed them to leave their bags there for now as well, save for the ones on their backs, as they’d come back once assured there were available rooms.

“I hope they do have space,” the brunette exclaimed as they walked across the cobblestone street. “The owners are really nice, as is their daughter, and the… food… is…”

She trailed off uncertainly, coming to a stop in the middle of the street. Pyrrha was startled to note the diminutive group leader’s stormy grey eyes, and she rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, looking about for danger.

The redheaded Knight still wasn’t exactly sure how this seemingly sixth sense of Ruby’s worked, but she’d placed her trust in the girl at the start of their journey, and she wasn’t about to second-guess herself now.

“Ruby?” the Elven Mage whispered, gripping her rapier by the hilt and her free left hand twitching by her side. “What is it?”

“Trouble,” the brunette replied softly, barely moving her lips. “Maybe. Maybe not. Definitely somebody dangerous, though.”

“What do you mean?” Ren probed gently.

Ruby just shook her head in response. “Okay, when we get inside, you all sit at whatever table I indicate, alright? Follow my lead, stay put, but be ready to flee if I tell you to.”

“I am not about to leave you to face whatever danger there is, alone,” Pyrrha stated firmly.

The shorter brunette rounded on her, eyes a darker grey than she’d ever seen before. They truly seemed to be harboring some living essence.

“You need to swear to me upon your oath, right here and now, that you will do as I say,” Ruby said with careful enunciation. Her face nor her voice betrayed any emotion. “Swear to me that you will do as I say in this.”

Pyrrha let out a frustrated sigh through her nose, but quickly acquiesced. “Very well, I so do swear it.”

Ruby’s eyes flickered over to Jeanne, who gave a start at being included. “Er… Yes, m’lady, I so do swear it as well.”

The brunette regarded the others levelly. “The rest of you, if you cannot follow my instructions on this, then we will have to part here. I will not be responsible for harm brought to you inside this building.”

Both Ren and Nora nodded, the latter with unusual solemnity, while Weiss simply raised a regal eyebrow.

“I trust you still, Ruby,” the platinum-haired Elf stated simply.

The brunette in question gave them a small smirk before turning towards the door with a resolute nod. “Then let’s go in.”

* * *

Yang sighed as she rested her head in her hand. “You sure this is the place?”

“Yes, Yang,” her raven-haired companion replied, her voice not betraying any of the irritation she must have been feeling after the umpteenth time she’d asked the same question.

The blonde tried to be patient, she really did. And she knew in her heart that Blake’s methods, though slower and far less direct than hers had been all these years, were already proving to be more successful.

It was just so gods-be-damned  _ boring _ .

All week long they’d been chasing down leads. Interestingly, one led her right back to her old friend Emerald once more, and she’d filed the information away for future reference.

Always nice to know where others of her kind hid.

The latest one, however, had seemed more promising. Through her various resources, Blake had come in contact with a young Faunus pickpocket who accurately described a girl, one who inexplicably caught him red-handed, as her eyes changed color. The pair of them had scoured the marketplace where the boy had said the event occurred, and the raven-haired Rogue was able to confirm the story with one of the magic merchants there who often fenced some of the stolen items from members of the Thief’s Guild.

So now they had a description, a small girl with short red-tipped brown hair, wearing some sort of red and black skirted ensemble and a red cloak. No obvious weaponry, but Yang was fairly certain this was another of her kind.

Whether or not it was her sister remained to be seen, much less if the girl would be openly friendly or hostile.

Sometimes her kin had a tendency to be a bit… prickly with first encounters. It was a reputation well-deserved.

The blonde perked up as a newcomer entered the tavern. It was another young girl, this one in her early teens, with long brunette hair and longer ears atop her head.

The Rabbit Faunus made directly for Blake, sitting next to her and offering a shy smile.

“Hello, Blake,” she greeted the Cat Faunus warmly. “It’s been awhile.”

Blake smiled in reply, her tail flicking over to brush against the other girl’s arm. “It has indeed. You’re looking good, Velvet.”

The brunette shrugged. “Work keeps me busy,” she replied. Her brown eyes focused on Yang, and she was shocked to see such maturity contained therein.

_ This girl has seen quite a bit... _

“I understand you’re looking for a particular girl?” Velvet asked without any preamble or introduction.

“I am, yeah,” Yang replied. “You have information for me?”

“Not personally, no, but my friend does.” The Rabbit Faunus raised her head, catching the eye of the serving girl. The bubble blonde, seemingly of an age with the brunette, trotted on over immediately.

“Hey Velv!” she exclaimed.

“Hi Elise, do you have a quick second?” Velvet indicated Yang with a nod. “She’s looking for that girl you told me about.”

“Oh, yeah, okay.” Elise sat down after glancing about to make sure she wasn’t under direct observation. “Look, she’s not in trouble, right, m’lady? I mean, she was really nice, at least nicer than her Elven friend she left with.”

“No trouble,” Yang assured her. “I’m just looking for someone, and this might be her. We might be related.”

“Oh, good! Very well then…”

Elise proceeded to launch into her description of the red-tipped brunette, easily matching that of both the pickpocket and the merchant. She furthermore added some details about her companion, a white-haired Elf, who left with her as well, a little over a week ago.

Smiling warmly at both Elise and Velvet, Yang produced a pair of lien coins and slid them across the table. “Thank you, ladies, you’ve been very helpful. I’ll have Blake get in touch with you if I need anything else.”

The serving girl, who was in fact the daughter of the tavern owner as she’d explained briefly, grinned widely at the large-denomination coin as she tucked it into her pouch. Velvet simply nodded and made her own coin disappear as if by magic.

After their farewells both to them and each other, Elise went back to the kitchen for her next order, while Velvet departed the tavern altogether.

“I have a good feeling about this one…” Yang murmured. She looked up at her companion who was eyeing her steadily, amber eyes giving nothing away. “So, Velvet… I take it she’s in the Guild as well?”

Blake nodded slowly. “She’s a friend of mine. I’d appreciate it if nothing happens to her.”

“What? Why would anything happen to her?” Yang looked at the Faunus in perplexion.

“My past makes me cautious,” Blake stated softly. “I’ve seen clients who liked to… tie up loose ends when the job was completed.”

“Well, I’m not like that,” Yang declared, leaning back with her hands behind her head.

“No, you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Likely true.”

“Doesn’t make you any less irritating, though.”

“Also true, and all part of my charm.”

“You keep saying that. I don’t think it means what you think it means.”

Yang snorted out a laugh as she looked around the room. “So this place… It’s called The Crow’s Rest?”

“Mmhmm.”

“As opposed to that other pub we went into, what was it…? Oh, right, Crow’s Nest. What is it with this town and crows?”

“I believe it has to do with the Order of Artemis,” Blake explained, toying with the tumbler of whiskey in her hands. “Their sigil is a black crow clutching an arrow. I think they were founded here in Vale.”

“Damn, kitten, you are just a fount of knowledge,” Yang chuckled merrily. “So then, what next?”

Blake took a sip of her drink before regarding Yang levelly. “Really? You’re asking me for our next move?”

“Look, Blake,” the blonde sighed, dropping her arms to the table and leaning forward on them. “I’ve been doing this for a whole lotta years, like I said. And in just a week or so, you’ve gotten more results than I have in that time.”

“Well, considering your methods consisted of walking into a bar and just… ‘feeling’ around,” Blake snarked. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

Yang threw her head back and laughed heartedly. “Yeah, that’s true, kitten,” she giggled. “So then… what’s next?”

“Well…” Blake paused and finished up her glass, setting it upside-down in front of her without making any noise. “People are generally creatures of habit. If she came here once, chances are she might do so again. So, we pay Elise to give us word if she returns. In the meantime, we talk to some of the guards I know, place some more bribes in case she left the city. That way we’ll know when she returns.”

Yang blinked her lilac eyes at her wonderingly. “You are something else.”

Blushing lightly, Blake turned away and regarded the fire pit next to them. “Whatever. So, how is it you have all this endless wealth to throw about, anyway? What is it you actually do, when not chasing down rumors and imbibing mead?”

The blonde chewed on her lip thoughtfully. “Let’s just say… I came into some money. An inheritance, if you will. Some of that should be my sister’s as well, though I imagine she got plenty from her… mother…”

Yang suddenly perked up as she felt it. Another presence, this one completely unfamiliar.

A strange sort of excitement and worry made her chest feel constricted. Could this be her?

“Someone’s coming,” she whispered.

Blake’s Faunus ears swiveled about, the only motion she made. Even her tail had stilled. “Trouble?”

“Dunno yet. Go get into the shadows, okay? Be ready to run.”

Blake evidently had the last encounter with Emerald and Mercury still fresh in her mind, as she didn’t broker any argument whatsoever. She silently slipped from her chair and strode off, quickly melding into the back of the room so effectively even she had a tough time making her out.

_ All sorts of fun skills, that one... _

The door opened soon thereafter, and Yang’s heart gave a little skip. It was her, the brunette girl they’d been tracking down. Her silver eyes scanned the room, quickly stopping on Yang.

She raised her mug of mead slightly in invitation, keeping her face as open and friendly as possible.

_ Oums’ blood, don’t let me fuck this up... _

Five others entered on the girl’s heels. A pair of armored Knights from their appearance, one blonde and the other taller and with red hair. A lean dark-haired man with a green coat, looking and feeling like a spellcaster of some sort. Another short girl clung to his side protectively, orange-haired and clutching a ridiculously oversized warhammer.

Yang’s eyes widened ever so slightly as she got a read off of the hammer-wielder’s aura.  _ Well, well… I wonder if you know who’s sitting up in your family tree? _

Lastly, her eyes fell upon the white-haired Elf, of a height with both the red-tipped brunette and the orange-haired one and matching Elise’s description. Pale blue orbs regarded her intently, though she picked up on a slight widening of her almond-shaped eyes as she spied Yang returning her gaze.

The blonde offered her a small grin in greeting, which she returned with a blush and an adamant stare at the back wall.

Yang put the other five out of her mind as the brunette curtly gestured towards a table on the near side of the room, close to the door but well away from the blonde.

_ Cautious? Or maybe just doesn’t want to be overheard? Likely a little of both… _

The girl stopped an arm’s length away from the table and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “May I?”

Yang nodded, her easy grin widening as she was getting an even better read on the girl this close.

The brunette grinned as well as she sat. “Gold?”

She nodded again amicably in confirmation. “Silver?”

“Yup.” The girl looked at her a little sheepishly. “So… I’m a little unsure of the protocol here. But… I’m Ruby. Um, is that okay, to…?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she laughed. “I’m Yang.” She leaned forward then, willing her lilac eyes to stay their current color so as not to spook the other girl. “Can I ask you, though… and you don’t have to answer this… What’s your full name?”

Ruby looked at her for the span of a full minute. The blonde could practically hear the gears spinning in her head, but eventually she did acquiesce.

“Ruthralynnaerias daughter of Sumethorynnaerias.”

It was an effort not to let the tears fall in relief. Ruby could tell something was going on, though, as her brow furrowed in concern.

The blonde let out another laugh, this one full of satisfaction and soul-deep happiness.  _ I found her, sweet mother of Oum, I finally found her… _

She cleared her throat. “And your father was Taiyenniellazherian?”

Ruby nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s right. How do you…?”

“Because Tai was my father as well. My full name is Yanzhiellewenayuros daughter of Ravanaerayuros… and…” She swallowed once more, knowing that a tear had escaped to roll down her cheek. “I’m your big sister.”

The brunette stared at her incredulously. “...What?”

“We’re sisters, Ruby, and I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.” Yang brushed aside her tear, wiping her eyes on the back of a hand as Ruby continued to gape at her. “So very long I’ve been looking for you…”

Somehow they both got to their feet at the same time. Yang ignored the sudden tensing of the companions who had accompanied her sister into the tavern, much as she ignored the wide and foolish grin that she knew her face bore.

_ I found her, I actually found her... _

“I have a sister?” Ruby murmured, still unbelieving. Her hand drifted forward, and Yang moved her own arm up to allow for the contact. The brunette sucked in a startled breath as her fingers brushed up against her skin, the brief touch causing their auras to flare up against each other.

“Oh my Oum…” Ruby had tears of her own in her silver eyes, shining brightly in the firelight. “I have a sister…”

Yang wasn’t sure who reached for the other first, but they met at the side of the table, enfolding one another in a tight hug as they shared happy sobs of joy.

‘So,” the orange-haired warrior chirped from the table the others sat at. “I guess they’re not gonna kill each other then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm… Gold and Silver, I’m sure they’re just discussing jewelry… right? Also, what to do when you realize that the only two drinking establishments you’ve actually named had irritatingly similar names? Poke fun at it, of course!
> 
> So now we finally have the sisters united! Next chapter will see the fellowship itself joined together, and plans made for the remainder of the quest!


	10. ...And New Beginnings

**Volume 1**

******City of Vale**

“And what lesson can we draw from Volantene history?”  
“If you want to conquer the world, you best have dragons.”  
~ George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

 

As an Elf living in the hinterlands to the north of Atlas, Weiss knew she’d led a fairly sheltered life. The city of Evereska was an oasis of magic and culture, but nonetheless served as a prison for her, the chains formed from the expectations of the elders.

Still, in all her eighty years of life upon Remnant, the alabaster-haired Elf had never seen a creature as exotically gorgeous as the woman currently sitting across from her brunette group leader.

“Hey, Weiss!” Nora whispered loudly in a questionable attempt at being discreet. “Hey, hey, Weiss!”

“What, Nora.”

“Didja see that blonde?”

The Elf knew the tips of her ears were pink by this point. “Yes, Nora. Yes, I did.”

“She got some knockers on her, huh?”

Fortunately, she’d not been taking a sip from the green Mistralian wine that the overly enthusiastic serving girl had brought by earlier. Otherwise, she’d have made an even bigger fool out of herself than her orange-haired companion was attempting to do.

“Yes, Nora,” she hissed.

Her recent friend, though said title would not deter the Elven Mage from inflicting grievous injury upon her if she persisted in embarrassing her, nudged her in the side. Weiss was sure she considered it to be gentle, but it almost knocked her out of her seat.

“Sooo… Is she definitely your type?”

“Nora… I will freeze your armor into a solid block of ice overnight if you do not desist.” Weiss stared straight ahead, deliberately not looking any of her companions in the eye, nor giving the effervescent pink-armored girl the satisfaction of seeing how rattled she’d become.

“Awww, but…”

Ren smoothly slid onto the bench in between the two, pushing each of them to the side. “Nora, that is enough. Leave Weiss be.”

“But Renny, I’m just tryin’ to be supportive of my new friend!”

“You can support me with your silence,” Weiss retorted, though without any heat. She knew that the other girl was just trying to be… well… nice?

The Elf shook her head. She needed to gather her wits about her for when the buxom blonde came to the table as she suspected she might. Weiss was unsure if the two actually knew each other, but it would seem as if they were on good terms if the shared hug was any indicator. Their table was just far enough away that she couldn’t pick up on any of their whispered conversation.

Pyrrha leaned over, her emerald green eyes sympathetic. “Er… Am I to understand you might find the blonde over there somewhat attractive?”

Weiss finally shot Nora a quick glare, who had the grace to sheepishly duck her head.

“Can we please not make a big deal about this?” Weiss implored quietly, knowing there was no use in denying anything at this point.

“So, who do we think the other woman is?” Jeanne interjected, clearly changing the subject.

The Elven Mage gave her a grateful smile. “I’m not sure, but at least she’s somewhat friendly? Ruby indicated she would be dangerous, and if that is the case I’d rather her be on our side.”

Her opinion was met by nods of agreement, but before she could expound further the blonde lifted her head up, glancing over her shoulder. Weiss tensed as she spied a shadowy figure who had not been there before.

“Stop trying to eavesdrop, Blake,” the blonde called out loudly with a wide grin.

A raven-haired Cat Faunus stalked forward, her tail bristling with irritation behind her. She wore a dark purple blouse with matching black leather vest, boots, bracers, and tights. There were a number of knives attached to her belt, as well as a couple sticking out from the edge of her footwear.

Her Elven ears could pick up on the Faunus girl’s grumbled reply as she prowled forward. “If you try one more time to tell me you’re not part Faunus, I will bop you over your thick head.”

The blonde just laughed merrily, gesturing towards Ruby and quietly making an introduction. Weiss noted with interest how the brunette sat up straighter, and even though she was in profile, the Elf easily picked up on both the wide welcoming smile and the quick blush that vanished almost as soon as it had appeared.

_ Interesting… _

Finally, both Ruby and the other woman rose to their feet and headed over to the table. Ruby still wore a grin on her face, though now it was easy and relaxed.

“Hey guys!” she chirped excitedly. “So, um… This is a bit of a shock, but… This here is my sister, Yang.”

“Oh!” Pyrrha smiled as she rose partway, giving the blonde a respectful bow. “I did not know you had a sister, Ruby!”

“Well, funny thing about that…” The brunette let out a small, sheepish laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck. “I kinda didn’t either. Turns out my dad had a kid before he met my mom.”

Ren eyed the newcomers levelly while they remained standing. The blonde’s lilac eyes were sparkling with humor, though the Cat Faunus watched them all with intent amber orbs simply reeking of mistrust. “Are you certain of this?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yep, very much so,” Ruby replied. “Um… best not to ask. But yeah, she’s my big sis.” The brunette turned towards the newcomers, introducing her companions in turn. “This is Lady Pyrrha Nikos, and her squire Jeanne D’Arc, of the Order of Artemis. Both very skilled and capable warriors. Nora Valkyrie, our resident bone-smasher with that huge hammer of hers but more importantly a stalwart companion. Lie Ren, a noble Cleric of Oum and steadfast friend. Also, our token male.” 

She smiled at the shared snickering from around the table, while Ren just shook his head in amused resignation. Then she held out her hand towards Weiss.

“And then this is Weiss Schnee, a Mage of immeasurable worth and my bestest friend.”

The alabaster-haired Elf managed to not roll her eyes hard enough to sprain something, but it was a near thing.

Yang, though, was looking at her with considerable interest. “A pleasure,” she smirked, her lilac eyes never leaving Weiss’ face.

“The pleasure is mine, I assure you,” she replied demurely, her own pale blue eyes riveted on the captivating blonde.

“Ohhh, nice one, Weiss,” Nora murmured around Ren’s shoulder. “Very smooth.”

With an absent-minded flick of her fingers, Nora went sprawling backwards off of the bench to land in a heap, giggling the whole while. “So,” Weiss continued. “Just Yang?”

“Just Yang,” the blonde laughed quietly. “It’s usually enough for most.”

“Is it now?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“So nice to hear of your… generosity.”

“I’ve got plenty to spare,” Yang smirked.

Weiss allowed her eyes to roam down towards the blonde’s ample bosom before slowly drifting back up once more, one eyebrow quirked regally. “So I see.”

“Damn, Weiss,” the brunette chuckled. “Bringing your A-game, I see. So, Yang, you want me to introduce your partner there, or are you too busy flirting with my Mage?”

“I can multitask,” Yang grinned. “Everyone, this is Blake Belladonna. Rogue extraordinaire, and the main reason why I finally found my sister. Kitten, this is everyone.”

The raven-haired girl sighed, placing a tremendous amount of both irritation and resignation into the effort. “Charmed,” she stated neutrally before turning to catch the serving girl’s eye. “Another whiskey, please. Actually, make it two.”

“My tab!” Ruby quickly interjected. She turned back to the table, waving both Yang and Blake forward to take seats. Yang ended up directly across from Weiss, while Blake took a seat across from Ren and the still-struggling orange-haired girl who was trying to twist her armor back around before re-taking her seat. Ruby paused for an infinitesimal moment before sitting on the other side of Yang. “Well, now that you found me, you wanna join our quest?”

“You’re on a quest?’ Yang asked, facing her sister. “Of course! No way I’m leaving your side now, sis!”

“But it would still be nice to hear what this quest entails,” Blake interjected softly as she lifted her new glass to her lips. “Cheers.”

Ruby grinned widely at the Cat Faunus, raising her own tumbler of alcohol, some sort of smokey liquid that Weiss hadn’t recognized. “Cheers,” the brunette replied. “And we’re all on my Life Quest, to retrieve the Orb of Azure and return it to Vale.”

Blake paused before taking a healthy sip of her drink. “The Orb of Azure? Isn’t that the artifact that causes Dragons to lose their immunity?”

“Wow, you know your legends,” Jeanne remarked, impressed.

The Cat Faunus gave the blue-eyed warrior a tiny smirk. “I...  _ collect  _ antiquities sometimes. Pays to know my stuff.”

“Well, then…” Ruby mused. “I think this might actually work out now. So, you guys in?”

Blake opened her mouth, but Yang beat her to it.

“You better believe it, we’re in! My quest is complete, and now we can pick up a new one!” She slammed her mug to the table after taking a long pull of mead. “How about that, kitten, we have a new quest! Aren’t you glad you partnered up with me?”

At that, the raven-haired rogue sent the effusive blonde a glare. “I truly hate you sometimes.”

Weiss was feeling rather giddy inside. This could work out very well indeed, having this gorgeous, young,  _ generously _ endowed woman with the group. She raised her wine glass up, offering it over towards Blake while shooting Yang a tight grin.

“Welcome to the fellowship,” she cheered quietly.

Nora had no such compunctions regarding subtlety. Now that she was all adjusted properly and back in her seat, she lifted her own mug of mead high.

“To the fellowship!” she bellowed merrily.

Weiss eyed the blonde across from her over the lip of her glass.

_ This whole adventure just got very, very interesting indeed... _

* * *

The voluptuous raven-haired woman stood impatiently in her chambers, foot tapping and arms crossed in irritation over her crimson dress.

One would think that, after all this time, she’d have learned some amount of patience. In fact, the plans that she had laid out so meticulously were finally coming to fruition, all due to her foresight and patient work. But that did not make the waiting any easier.

When the knock sounded on her door, she let the snarled “Enter!” escape before she could reconsider.

_ Mustn’t scare off the help... _

A grey-haired man entered with a girl who bore mint-green hair. They stopped a respectful distance away and gave her a brief bow.

“It’s about time,” she snapped, though with less heat in her words now.

“Our apologies, Cinder,” the boy stated cooly. “You know how extensive security is now.”

Cinder let out an inelegant snort. “True enough, especially since I was the one to propose the measures. Very well, Mercury, Emerald. I have need of the two of you.”

She turned, her heels clacking against the stone flooring, until she faced the window and stared out into the dark.

“I’ve sensed more of our kind here within the walls,” she began quietly. “What do you know?”

She glanced over her shoulder to see her two underlings share a look.

“Yang is in town,” the girl finally said quietly.

Cinder growled under her breath, her fingernails digging long furrows in the stone windowpane. “Of course… meddlesome too-noble-for-their-own-good Golds... “ She inhaled sharply before turning back around.

“The climate here is finally approaching the breaking point. Panic is at an all-time high, our list is almost completely checked off save for those at the very top, and I have the headless fools of the guard running about, chasing their own shadows. I can  _ not _ have things fail now, not when we are this close!”

She closed her eyes then, taking a deep calming breath. She could tell that she had been beginning to smoke slightly, her amber orbs involuntarily changing over to a smoldering orange in her heightened emotional state.

In control once more, Cinder opened her eyes again, glaring at the two cowering before her.

“The next time you see Yang, you will  _ encourage _ her to leave the town. The two of you together should be able to handle one Gold, no matter how strong she is.”

“Yes, My Lady,” the both of them intoned in unison.

Before they could proceed further, another knock came at the door. Mercury and Emerald quickly scrambled to their feet and melded into the shadows, while Cinder stalked over to yank the door open.

“Yes?” she demanded imperiously.

“A th- thousand apologies, L- Lady Cinder,” the trembling servant stammered. “The King… He has requested his council to convene.”

“Very well,” Cinder sighed, resigned to yet another several hours of wasted time. “I’ll be right along.”

When the door had closed once more, Cinder turned to regard the pair as they stepped forward again. “Find her and drive her out of my town. I am too close to my goal for her to interfere now.”

Mercury bowed low before turning to leave, though Emerald hesitated after her own showing of subservience.

“My Lady… would you desire my… company later tonight?”

Cinder regarded the hopeful-looking girl with a smirk. “Well, my dear,” she purred. “That all depends on how successful you are.”

She dropped her playful smirk as soon as the pair left her, turning once more to stare out the window.

“I am too close,” she growled, her voice now an octave lower. “Far too close to be thwarted now…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo to round off the volume, we have a little potential Ladybug, some slow-smoldering Freezerburn, and then a little side dish of Blood Emerald. Tasty, no?
> 
> Sorry this chapter is considerably shorter than the others, just needed to wrap a few things up before we start in on the second volume, which will entail the full fellowship tracking down the Orb.


	11. Planning A Caper

**Volume 2**

******City of Vale, The Crow’s Rest**

“The greatest treasures were most often guarded by the slyest and cruellest dragons.”  
~ Adam Nevill, House of Small Shadows

 

Blake stirred from under the mound of covers piled atop her. She poked an inquisitive amber eye out from her burrow, narrowed in irritation at who might have disturbed her well-earned slumber.

The knocking came again, much lighter than that of her current employer, Yang. Or was she still? The Cat Faunus Rogue wasn’t entirely sure on that matter, as they hadn’t discussed much the night before other than the fact that she was now roped into this fellowship and currently following a rather…  _ intriguing  _ diminutive brunette Human.

“Blake! Hey, Blake, are you awake yet?”

Speaking of diminutive brunettes…

“I am now,” she stated levelly, though sleep still caused her words to come out more mumbled than usual, irking the implacable raven-haired woman somewhat. She cleared her throat before speaking once more. “What did you need, Ruby?”

“Oh! Well, it’s breakfast time, so I thought we’d get a head start on planning!”

“Planning?” she repeated in confusion.  _ How much of that whiskey did I drink last night? I don’t recall any conversation about planning… _

“Oh, yeah, um…” Ruby’s voice trailed off somewhat before she resumed once more, this time with her face evidently pressed up against the doorframe. “I thought Yang was gonna talk to you about it already. Um… Can I… come in? Unless you’re not decent, of course!”

Blake snorted softly. “One moment.”

The Cat Faunus slipped out from under her cozy fortification, wearing a long sleeveless linen tunic that came down past her knees. Her tail drooped low to the ground past the hemline, reflecting her still less-than-awake state. With a wide yawn, she languidly pulled the latch back and cracked the door open. “C’mon in,” she mumbled, trudging back to the bed.

The brunette girl, annoyingly chipper-looking for such an early hour, blushed slightly at her relative state of undress. “Blake, I could have come back…”

“No, it’s okay,” she replied, the furry ears atop her head twitching as she began to brush her hair out. “So what was this about planning?”

“Okay, yeah! So, here’s the thing.” Ruby plopped herself down on the sole chair in the room while Blake curled up at the end of her bed with her legs tucked under her, tail now flicking lazily behind her as she began to regain her senses. “We need to find a manuscript. It’s somewhere in the town here. And I need you.”

Blake’s motions stopped abruptly. “You… need me?”

“Yep, I need your help!”

As her befuddled brain started back up again, she once again gave thanks for her ability to keep a neutral mask in place no matter what adversity she was faced with. Up to and including utter mortification for having so grossly misunderstood the intentions of this petite, but undeniably cute, girl.

_ Focus, Belladonna… _

“So, why me?” she asked, allowing a trace of perplexion to enter her voice.

Ruby’s grin widened at the prompt. “Well, I was talking to Yang, and she told me about what you can do. I could really use someone with your skills on this.”

“Oh really? Like Yang did?” Blake rolled her eyes along with her response, causing the brunette to giggle lightly.

“Nah, I need to break into places and potentially steal stuff.”

Blake paused in her brush strokes once more, this time in genuine surprise. “Oh, I see.” She let a small grin of her own form before setting her brush down. “Well, I’m your girl, then.”

“Great!” Ruby chirped. “Um, so if you wanna get dressed, I’m gonna go downstairs and grab some breakfast! Join me?”

“Love to,” the raven-haired girl replied softly.

After she’d ushered the small Human girl out and began pulling on her black leather tights, her mind was awhirl with thoughts that were quite unprecedented for her.

_ Why is she so captivating to me? _

* * *

“So this manuscript,” Blake began thoughtfully as she chewed on her eggs. “What do you know of it?”

Ruby nodded, bouncing in her seat excitedly across from her. She’d already finished up her omelette and hashed potatoes by the time Blake had made it downstairs into the tavern common room. “Well, it was written by this really famous historian, Bartholomew Oobleck. He wrote all kinds of stuff about Dragons, their history and habits and culture. Fascinating stuff.” The brunette frowned slightly. “Pity it was a Dragon that did him in.”

The Cat Faunus raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Oh?”

“Yeah, it was all a big misunderstanding.” Ruby sighed. “See, Oobleck talked a mile a minute when he was excited, and he’d finally tracked down this ancient Gold Dragon that he’d been looking for  _ ages _ , and just started peppering him with questions. Problem is, the Gold wasn’t quite awake yet and mistook him for some kind of Mage trying to cast a spell on him.”

Blake stared at the petite girl, trying very hard not to let the edges of her lips curl up. “You’re joking.”

“Nope, hand to Oum,” Ruby replied solemnly. “Gobbled the poor historian right on up. You could still hear him talking all the way down.”

At that Blake let out a startled laugh, quickly covering her mouth in surprise at the uncharacteristic outburst. “Alright, now I know you’re pulling my tail,” she stated, amber eyes twinkling with mirth.

The brunette girl giggled lightly, finally allowing her own silver eyes to shine with the laughter she’d been suppressing. “ _ Wellll _ ... maybe just a little bit. He did get eaten by a Dragon, though.”

The raven-haired girl chuckled lightly and shook her head. There was just something about this strange, buoyant brunette…

“So then,” Blake continued, cutting off her own thoughts as she cleared her throat.  _ Please, Oum, do not let her have seen  _ any _ hint of a blush… _ “The manuscript?”

“Right! So it’s the only copy, likely either a collector’s item or… Well, worst case, we’ll have to break into the Royal Library. But it might not come to that.”

The rogue’s eyes bulged slightly. “The… Royal Library? As in, inside the heavily-secured and nigh-impenetrable castle?”

“Yep, that’s the one!” Ruby replied cheerfully. “Sounds like fun, right?”

Blake couldn’t help herself this time, and allowed the unfamiliar grin to fully creep across her face. “Yeah… Actually, yeah, it does…”

“As for what the manuscript itself is, well, it will give us the last clue we need, the location of the Orb.” Ruby pulled out a dark leather-bound tome from the satchel at her side. “See, I got the name from here. Now I just need to know where the lair is.”

Blake nodded slowly. “And what is the name?”

“Pardon?”

“Whose name is in the book?”

“Well, Ember’s mate, of course.”

Blake coughed lightly, almost choking on the last bite of her eggs. She took a long swallow of her cider before continuing hoarsely. “So, just to make sure we’re clear. You’re looking for the lair of the mate of one of the most ancient, deadly, and vicious Red Dragons in all of known history?”

“Pfft, nah,” Ruby chuckled, waving a hand in front of her face merrily.

“Oh, thank Oum,” the Cat Faunus murmured.

“Ember wasn’t the  _ most _ ancient, not by a long shot,” Ruby continued happily. “I mean, there’s lots older than he was, still alive and kicking. Not that I’ve met them, of course… but still. And deadly?” The petite girl barked out a short laugh, oblivious to her companion’s consternation. “Maybe a little bit, but there’s been worse.”

Blake nodded slowly. Apparently, the insanity was hereditary. “And what do we do if this mate, another Red Dragon I presume, is there waiting for us?”

“Oh, she won’t be.”

“How do you know this?”

“Because she’s a  _ Red _ ,” the brunette replied simply, as if that answered everything.

The Rogue blinked her eyes without answering.

Letting out a soft sigh, Ruby tucked the book back into her satchel before turning towards the Faunus once more. “Okay, so maybe I should give a little more background on Dragons…”

“Oooh, oooh, are we having storytime?” an excited voice called out. Nora bounded down the staircase nearby, launching herself into a vacant space on the bench at their table. Miraculously, she neither broke the bench, nor spilled Ruby from her seat. “Morning!”

“Morning, Nora,” Ruby grinned. “Anybody else up?”

“Unfortunately,” Jeanne grumbled as she staggered down the steps, both Pyrrha and Ren on her heels. Only the blonde warrior looked to be worse for wear, the other two relatively cognizant.

Nowhere near as much so as Nora, of course, but Blake believed she’d seen a Mouse Faunus hyped up on illicit Duskwood Mushroom essence who hadn’t been nearly that energetic. And that Faunus girl had subsequently gone three full days without sleep after that.

The others gathered around the table, giving out muted greetings before ordering their breakfast food. Before Ruby could continue, however, she looked up once more to see Weiss descending down the steps, looking as elegant as always.

“Good morning, Weiss!” the brunette called out cheerfully. “Sleep well?”

“Well enough,” the platinum-haired Elf replied evenly as she gracefully slid into one of the remaining spaces at the table. “It definitely beats sleeping on the ground.”

“I know, right?” Nora burbled. “I mean, all those rocks and roots that you never notice until you’re flat on your back and they’re digging into you  _ right _ when you’re getting to the good part, talk about an orgasm-killer…”

“Nora, please,” Ren sighed patiently. “Not at the breakfast table.”

“Or ever,” Jeanne muttered, blushing brightly.

“Alright then,” Ruby chuckled, shaking her head and causing the red-tipped bangs to sway back and forth, momentarily captivating the Cat Faunus. Blake gave herself a quick shake as Weiss ordered her food and the brunette placed her hands upon the table.

“So who can tell me the different kinds of Dragons?” the diminutive red-cloaked girl began.

“Oh, I have this one!” Jeanne replied excitedly, suddenly far more awake and, Oum bless the girl, actually raising her hand.

The red-faced blonde quickly pulled said hand down after the rest of the table began snickering.

“Go ahead, Jeanne,” Ruby smiled encouragingly.

“Er, right… So there’s Red, Brown, Onyx, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Green, White…” The blonde Knight-in-training stared up at the rafters thoughtfully. “Did I get them all?”

“Pretty much, yep,” Ruby replied. “Some other more exotic and rare ones, and others that are extinct now, but those are the most common. Well, as common as Dragons can be, seeing as how a person could go a lifetime without seeing one.”

The brunette leaned back, her silver eyes alight as she continued the lesson. “Most Dragons aren’t inherently good or evil, but certain types have a… tendency towards one end of the spectrum or the other. But make no mistake, their morality is very, very different from those of humanoids.

“Anyways, at the bottom of the scale in both size and power are your Browns. Pretty much dumb grunts, they’re used by the greater Dragons as fodder when they decide to escalate their differences beyond polite hoard raids.” Ruby grinned a bit at that. “And believe me, a Dragon’s hoard is everything to them. But the Browns, well they’re pretty limited. Like I said, dumb, easily outsmarted as much as an Ogre, say.”

“But they’re still Dragons, correct?” Weiss interjected, spooning some honey into her oatmeal. “With the full abilities of one?”

“Not quite.” Ruby gave the Elf a nod at her perception. “They don’t have any sort of breath attack, nor can they speak in the common tongue.

“So, moving on up, we have the Greens. Still on the smaller end of Dragons, sneaky and vicious, not to mention short-fused. They also breathe acid.”

“Ouch,” Nora winced. “Acid is  _ no _ fun.”

“Speaking from experience there, Nora?” the brunette chuckled. “Now if we’re going by size, then the Silvers would be next. They’re a lot faster than Greens, in fact, they’re the nimblest of all Dragons. And, for Dragons, fairly cheerful and friendly towards those not of their kind.

“Onyx Dragons are an interesting mix. Often the most cunning, and sometimes mercurial, but when they commit to a cause they stay loyal.” Ruby shrugged. “There’s just no telling what cause might catch their eye, though.

“Bronzes can sometimes be just as hot-headed as a White or Green, but undeniably brave.” Ruby tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Vain, definitely. And just as friendly as Silvers when it comes to non-Dragons, much more likely to speak first before snapping up any humanoid they come across for a snack.

“Now, the Whites are usually found way up north, in the Hinterlands. I imagine Weiss might know a bit about them.”

The platinum-haired Elf nodded slowly. “I’ve never seen one myself, but some of the elders have faced them. They’re very territorial and aggressive. Oh, and they breathe frost, so keeping a fire shield spell handy is a must when going up against them.”

“Definitely combative and arrogant,” Ruby agreed. “Medium-sized, on a scale with an Onyx, but far, far stronger. Their physical strength rivals that of the larger Dragons, like a Red or Gold.”

“Those are the only two left, correct?” Pyrrha prompted, speaking up for the first time that morning.

“Yep. Golds can be as vain and arrogant as any other Dragon, but they tend to be defined by their nobility and loyalty. They can get caught up with their own problems and machinations and will often just leave the outside world alone, unless they’re provoked. Or if something catches their eye.” Ruby had a small but mysterious smile on her face, her gaze flickering over towards Weiss before facing Blake again. “If a Gold gets fixated on something, their focus is hard to break.”

Blake hummed quietly under her breath. “So, then, Reds.”

“Right, Reds. They match Golds in size, the ancient ones like Ember truly gigantic. Greedy, cruel, vicious… What the legends paint as a typical Dragon. But, and this is most important to our current quest…” Ruby leaned forward to impart her next words. “Reds are  _ schemers _ . They absolutely  _ love _ to get involved in things, whether or not they had any business getting involved in the first place. Exact opposites of Golds in that regard. A lot of the outside world, humanoid politics and wars and the like, have been influenced by Reds. Especially if it brings them an advantage, monetarily or otherwise, and even better if it somehow comes at a detriment to another Dragon.”

“Sooo… you believe that this mate of Ember’s would not be at her lair… because she is somewhere else, scheming?” Blake summarized, not bothering to hide the skeptical tone in her voice.

“It’s more than that, really. Reds only spend time in their lair to raise hatchlings, otherwise they employ guardians and such to watch over their stuff.” The brunette grinned triumphantly. “So we’d just need to fight those, not an actual Dragon!”

“Mmm.” The Cat Faunus crossed her arms across her black leather vest. “And what is to say this Red would not have another Dragon as a guardian?”

Ruby’s mouth opened, only to shut again with an audible  _ click  _ as she pondered that for a few moments. “Hmm. Didn’t think of that. It’s doubtful, though, as Reds don’t trust other Dragons, other than their mates, with their treasures. Might be able to bully a Brown or two, put the fear of, well,  _ them _ into the other Dragons, but it’s doubtful.”

“But there’s still a chance we might encounter a Dragon,” Ren pressed quietly. “It is not outside the realm of possibility.”

“Oh please oh please oh please,” Nora murmured, her hands clenched together tightly. “ _ Please _ let us fight a Dragon…”

“Personally, I’d rather avoid tangling with something that could kill me with one swipe of its claws,” Pyrrha interjected. “But if that’s a possibility, then we should prepare for it.”

Ruby looked around the table, as did Blake. Most of the companions assembled, save for Yang who was presumably still slumbering, wore expressions of calm confidence. Jeanne’s bright blue eyes were a little tinged with worry, but she seemed to follow her Knight’s lead. Nora, of course, radiated eagerness.

“Fair enough,” Ruby murmured quietly. “I suppose we can do a lesson on… how to kill a Dragon next.”

“Shouldn’t it be more like ‘how to run from a Dragon’?” a sleepy voice called out from the stairway.

Yang walked down, already dressed for the day. Her luxurious blonde mane was brushed out, golden curls dancing in the morning sunlight filtering in from the windows.

Blake snorted to herself irritably.  _ Should be illegal to look that good right when a person wakes up… _

“Hey Yang, you wanna contribute?” Ruby asked solicitously.

“Nah, I’m no expert,” Yang waved her sister off. She nodded towards the serving girl first, asking for just coffee, before nodding towards the others at the table. She plopped herself across from the Elven Mage, who seemed to be rather focused on her bowl of breakfast.

“‘Morning, gorgeous,” the blonde smirked.

“Hmm,” Weiss hummed softly, not looking up. “Says the woman walking into a room looking like sunshine and sex rolled up into one package. Aren’t you overdoing it a bit?”

Yang stared at the platinum-haired Elf for a heartbeat before throwing her head back and laughing merrily. “Maybe a bit,” she finally snickered. “Did it get your attention, though?”

Weiss finally looked up at that, her ice-blue eyes twinkling. “No,” she replied shortly, turning back to her bowl. Yang continued to laugh unabashedly.

Blake rolled her eyes and let out a soft groan at her partner’s antics, causing Ruby to snicker. 

“I take it this is normal behavior?” the brunette whispered.

“You have no idea,” Blake replied with a shake of her head.

“I gotta say, though,” Yang was continuing, “you look rather tasty yourself today there, Weiss.”

“If you want breakfast, ask the serving girl,” the Elf replied in an almost bored voice. “I’m off the menu during the day.”

“Oh really? What about the evenings, then?”

Weiss glanced up, a small but somehow regal-looking smirk on her face. “Depends on whether or not the meal is interesting enough.”

“Oh my  _ Oum _ ,” Ruby finally sputtered. “Okay, enough, if you two are gonna keep on with that, go… somewhere else.  _ Anywhere _ else, please!”

“Thank you!” Jeanne moaned piteously from where her head was buried in her crossed arms atop the table. Pyrrha gave her squire a consoling pat on her back.

“I’ll be good if princess here can be,” Yang smirked.

Weiss quirked an eyebrow. “Are you implying you have any sort of restraint?”

“Oh, I can be good, gorgeous… I can be  _ real _ good…”

“Yang!” several voices cried out in unison.

“Sorry, sorry,” Yang grinned, her hands upraised defensively. “I’ll behave.”

“Right,” Ruby huffed out. “So, fighting Dragons. I mentioned this awhile back, but since our little group has doubled in size, lemme just reiterate.”

The brunette sat up straight with an unusually solemn visage. “Dragons have extremely tough hides. They shrug off any attack by anything other than a fairly powerful magical weapon, except perhaps for the eyes, but even then it’s not a sure thing. A Dragon could grow back an eye injured with a mundane weapon within a day at most. Magic itself can hurt them, so long as it doesn’t try to affect them directly, like illusions or the like.” She glanced over at the Elven Mage. “So indirect attacks are best.”

“So, precisely how powerful a magical weapon is required to pierce a Dragon’s scale?” Weiss asked, her interest obviously piqued.

Ruby gave her Elven friend a grin. “Well, as it so happens, our group does have several. Yours, obviously, anything Dragonforged can injure a Dragon. Just like Nora’s hammer.”

“Really?” the orange-haired girl squealed. “My  _ Magnhild _ is Dragonforged?”

“Um, yeah,” Ruby replied, perplexed. “Sorry, thought you knew. It was passed down through your family, right?”

“Yep, sure was!” Nora reached back for her oversized warhammer, holding it aloft over the heads of those at the table, much to their consternation. Ren was the only one not to wince and lean back.

“She was passed down from my great-great-great… great… I dunno how many greats. Anyways, a whole lotta greats-grandmother, down to the eldest daughter of each family. We’ve all been warriors.” Nora grinned proudly while she set the hammer back on the ground with a resounding  _ clang _ . “And now she’s mine!”

“I don’t even remember her bringing that to the table,” Blake muttered under her breath. Ruby’s hearing must have been as sharp as Yang’s, as she shot her a wry grin.

“Anyway, yes,  _ Magnhild _ is Dragonforged and can definitely hurt a Dragon,” Ruby continued. “The other weapon isn’t Dragonforged, but should be able to do damage. That being Pyrrha’s sword.”

The redheaded Knight smiled slightly. “I had a feeling.  _ Milo _ was a special gift from the head of my Order when I attained Knighthood, it had been hers before she’d been given… Well, suffice to say, I’ve known of my sword’s power. It’s good to know, though, if we do come up against a Dragon.”

“Don’t get complacent,” a low voice spoke up from the end of the table. Each companion’s gaze shot towards the unusually somber-looking blonde brawler who was gazing into her coffee mug.

“Yeah, you got weapons that can hurt a Dragon,” Yang continued quietly. “But unless you really, really have to, avoid fighting one. ‘Cause I guarantee you’ll come out for the worse.”

“You speak from experience,” Pyrrha murmured. It was more of a statement than a question, but Yang nodded slowly anyway.

“I do. Just trust me on this, okay? You see a Dragon, you run in the other direction.”

The table fell silent for almost a full minute after that, until Blake cleared her throat. She blushed slightly as everyone gave her their attention, unused to being such a focus.

“Er, so is that all of us with weapons who might harm a Dragon?” she asked hesitantly. “Weiss, Nora, and Pyrrha?”

“Oh, well, mine as well,” Ruby smirked. “ _ Crescent Rose _ is my baby, she can peel the scales off of any Dragon around.”

“I see. And what type of weapon is…  _ Crescent Rose _ ?”

“Well, now… you’ll just have to see,” the brunette winked cheekily.

“Oh, it is  _ sooo _ cool!” Nora exclaimed, bouncing excitedly in her seat. “It’s this  _ really _ massive warscythe, like bigger than my hammer even, and it’s all glowing and dark and flaming and… Oums’ blood, it’s  _ awesome _ watching-”

“Language,” Ren interjected mildly.

“Sorry, Renny,” Nora continued, unfazed. “So yeah, watching it cleave through ranks of Orcs was just like,  _ whoosh _ and  _ whapow _ and Oum’s bloody ballsack-”

“Language!”

“Right, sorry Renny. But it’s seriously  _ sweet _ !”

Blake was covering her mouth as she was unable to contain her mirthful grin. Ruby was shaking her head and smiling widely as well.

“Thanks for dispelling the whole air of mystery there, Nora,” Ruby snorted softly.

“Oh, sorry Ruby, it’s just so  _ cool _ to find someone who can appreciate weapons like I do!”

Weiss sighed loudly from the other end of the table. “Oum, please do not get Ruby started on weaponry, we’ll be here all day…”

The brunette stuck her tongue out childishly, but then quickly sobered. “Okay, seriously though. Is there anything else anybody wants to know about Dragons? Let go ahead and get this all out of the way so we can get working on our stay here in Vale.”

“I have a question,” Ren spoke up calmly. “How is it you know so much about Dragons?”

Ruby grinned at him. “Books!”

“You’ve read books on Dragons?”

“Yep, lots and lots of books! Well, and talking to folk. You can pick up a lot from talking to people in the know.” The brunette looked down at the table, suddenly solemn. “Also… a lot from my parents. They were... adventurers, knew a whole lot. I learned all kinds of stuff from them before I… didn’t have them around anymore.”

Ren nodded, resting his hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Fair enough. So, then, what is the plan?”

“Whelp, mostly it’s just gonna be me and Blake for this stage, but the rest of you should rest up, maybe gather more supplies.” Ruby glanced over at her sister, who was unconcernedly sipping her coffee. “It’s going to be a long trek, I’m fairly certain. We’ll need horses, camping supplies, rations, extra gear… Yang, you need any lien to handle that?”

“Nope, I got plenty, little sis,” the blonde replied cheerfully. “Me and princess here will handle the supplies.”

“Oh, we will, will we?” Weiss asked, an amused smirk on her face.

“Yep, give you time to experience the full Yang charm.”

“Oum preserve you, Weiss.” The benediction was solemnly murmured by Ren, causing further chuckles to erupt around the table.

Ruby turned to Pyrrha and Jeane next. “I suppose you guys might want to check in with your Order? Maybe find out a little more about what’s going on in this town, and the unrest? I’m a little concerned, since we’ll be coming back here afterwards…”

“Certainly, that was our intent,” the redhead nodded.

“Okay, so then…” Ruby glanced over at the lanky and stoic man sitting next to her. “Finally, Ren, our token male. I have an important task for you.”

“Yes?” Ren prompted, his brows raised inquisitively.

“Try to keep Nora out of trouble.”

The raven-haired Cleric sighed heavily. “It’s a full-time job.”

“Too true,” Nora chirped. “Too true.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we go, the stage is set, plus we got lots more info on Dragons. The most important being, if you see one, run. Unless you care to be crispified. Next chapter will see a little more action (of all sorts), though, as we keep up with everyone inside of Vale.


	12. Out And About

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LEMON WARNING: This chapter contains sexual content.

**Volume 2**

******City of Vale**

“A dragon took what it wanted. Took and kept.”  
~ Erin Kellison, Tempted by Fire

 

“So,” Ruby murmured, fingering the mundane dagger at her waist which was her only armament for the evening. “What can you tell me about him?”

Blake, dressed in her usual dark clothing so eminently suited for their current nocturnal activity, gave a rather noncommittal hum. The brunette was getting better at interpreting the small noises that the reticent Rogue would make, some of them indicating agreement or the opposite, other times a more complicated or conditional response. This time, however, it seemed to indicate that the Cat Faunus was gathering her thoughts in order to answer fully. As such, Ruby settled patiently back against the chimney on the roof overlooking their target.

She wore her usual outfit of mostly black with red trim, foregoing her red cloak in order to remain concealed in the shadows more effectively. Skulking wasn’t really one of her talents, but she was a fast learner and could move silently enough when needed. Observing her companion over the course of the night as they broke into the previous two dwellings gave her plenty of tips, as well as some valuable insight into the raven-haired girl.

The one thing that stood out, aside from Blake’s natural agility, was her precise and deliberate motions. The Cat Faunus never made a step that she did not intend to take, effortlessly gliding across rooftops with practiced ease. Ruby had been able to mimic her by placing her feet in the exact same spots, and so far it hadn’t led her astray.

Finally, Blake stirred, pulling in a deep breath before replying to Ruby’s earlier question.

“The occupant’s name is Canderous Aurum, retired Guildmaster of Assassins. That alone is noteworthy, as heads of the Assassin’s Guild rarely are permitted to retire, much less survive that long. But he made himself friends with many powerful people, not to mention holding plenty of scandalous secrets over their heads.” Blake paused in her recitation, amber eyes narrowed but still glowing slightly in the dim light cast from the street lanterns. “He’s as ruthless and conniving as you might imagine for one of his former position.”

“Interesting,” Ruby mused, perceptively glancing over at her partner for the evening. “You know him, personally.”

Blake froze, even her tail stilled, and her Faunus ears were now flattened on top of her head. It lasted only for a moment, but for the Rogue it was as good as a loud gasp of shock.

“What makes you say that?” the raven-haired girl murmured, her body once more relaxed as if nothing had occurred.

And, truthfully, if Ruby didn’t have as good eyesight in the dark as she did, she might have missed it completely. But while she had a hunch before, now she held this as a certainty.

“Let’s skip that,” the brunette chuckled lightly. “I think it’d do both you and I a disservice to deny it at this point. I would like to know  _ how _ you know him, since we’re about to put ourselves into potential danger in his home.”

“Why does it matter?” Blake asked, her quiet voice filled with a heat that Ruby hadn’t heard before.

The shorter girl sighed softly, leaning forward to rest a hand on the other’s shoulder. “Blake, talk to me. I’m not gonna judge, no matter what. Just tell me, okay? It won’t go past the two of us.”

The Cat Faunus stared hard at the multi-story building in front of them, complete with a walled courtyard and parapet around the roof. It looked to be more of a minor fortress than the manor of a wealthy gentleman in the middle of the town.

“Fine,” she finally replied curtly. She crept backwards gracefully until she could sit against the chimney, Ruby moving back with her to sit shoulder-to-shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, Blake eventually gave a despondent sigh. “I’m afraid of how you might think of me after I tell you.”

“I will not think any less of you,” Ruby promised solemnly. “Please trust me on this.”

“I do trust you,” Blake murmured. “Alright… Before I was a member of the Thief’s Guild, I was… I belonged to another, somewhat similar Guild.”

The brunette picked up on her meaning immediately, and just as quickly grasped the implications.

“So you were an assassin,” she breathed.

Blake nodded slowly. “I was pretty damn efficient at it, too. Specialized in bow and blade, but I could easily take out a target with an arrow and escape before I was even seen. Made a decent pile of lien.”

“What happened?”

“I got tired of it,” the Cat Faunus replied neutrally. “Tired of the killing, really. Wasn’t any one thing that made me stop, any one mark. I just… It just kept building up, and finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. Aurum was the Guildmaster at the time, he wasn’t all that happy at letting me go, but he didn’t really have a choice in the matter once I up and left. I kept my nose clean, no unsanctioned killings and not a word about Guild business or practices passed from my lips. In return, he allowed me to live.”

“So you decided to join the Thief’s Guild?” Ruby pressed. “Something you could still use your training and skills with?”

“Yes, exactly. I haven’t really had use for my bow as an… ‘honest’ thief,” Blake replied somewhat sarcastically, much to Ruby’s amusement. “But yes, I’ve found some measure of contentment with my new Guild. At least, until the old Guildmaster got overthrown.”

“Not too fond of the new one?”

“Roman Torchwick? Not so much, no.”

“Well.” Ruby turned to her companion and gave her a brilliant smile. “I’m glad you told me. And like I said, I won’t speak of it to anyone, not even Yang, unless you want me to.”

Blake nodded, blushing lightly in the soft illumination from the broken moon overhead. “Thanks.”

“Might be handy to bring your bow along with us, though,” Ruby added as she rocked forward onto her knees. “When we leave to retrieve the Orb.”

“I’ll do that,” Blake agreed. She crept forward in a crouch to overlook the manor once more. “Just need to retrieve it from my hideout.”

“Sounds good. So, shall we?”

“Yes,” the Rogue grinned with barely suppressed eagerness. “We shall.”

The cobblestone street below them was clear of any observers, so both girls stepped back to the other side of the flat roof they were on currently. Blake went first, racing forward and pushing her aura into the jump. Her right foot hit the edge of the roof, kicking her off and sending her airborne.

Ruby watched intently as the raven-haired girl cleared the street and rolled to a silent stop on the other side of the parapet. She waited until she saw a slender hand poke up, waving her on.

Grinning, Ruby launched herself forward next. The pitter-patter of her boots couldn’t be heard past the rooftop itself, and she easily cleared the distance, landing in a quiet three-point stance, one arm flung behind her for balance.

“One of these days,” Blake murmured, gliding past her like a shadow, “you’re going to have to tell me how it is you and your sister can do the things you do.”

“Some day,” Ruby agreed, knowing that at some point, indeed, it would be inevitable. A charade can only be maintained so long in close proximity before it is revealed for what it actually is.

The pair of them readily found the hatchway leading down from the roof. Blake pressed her Faunus ears against the wood, listening intently, before giving a confident nod and quickly picking the lock. The diminutive brunette crouched, pulling the hatch up with ease. Fortunately, the hinges were greased enough that little noise carried through the night.

The chamber below was unoccupied, a small square room that seemed to only hold some storage shelves of linens and the ladder leading up towards them. Both intruders stealthily dropped into the room, though Ruby paused on the upper rungs to lower the hatch behind them.

She waited patiently as Blake listened at the door leading from the room. The Cat Faunus’ brows were furrowed in concentration.

“Anything?” Ruby whispered once she’d lifted her head away.

“Not that I can tell,” Blake whispered back. “No sound of anything breathing, even.”

“Well, okay then. Let’s check it out.”

Blake nodded, making quick work of the lock there before easing it open.

It was a long hallway, lit only at the far end by a pair of sputtering torches in sconces beside a heavily-fortified doorway.

They knew from prior inquiries, and copious applications of bribes, that the library in this building should be at the end of the hall, likely where the torches stood. By happy circumstance, the treasure room was accessible from the library as well, reducing the number of places they’d need to search.

Wordlessly the pair crept forward, pausing at an intersecting hallway. The other branch led to what seemed to be a terrace of sorts that had staircases leading down from each end. Muted voices drifted up towards them, though even with her enhanced hearing Ruby couldn’t make out what was being said.

Blake, however, was frowning heavily.

“Can you make anything out?” Ruby breathed, leaning close to her friend’s ears.

The Rogue shook her head. “Just the voices, I recognize Aurum… two others, one male and one female, can’t quite place the male’s but it seems familiar…”

The brunette tried to extend her senses outwards. She knew that if they were visible right now, her eyes would be a swirling, stormy grey. And then she let out a soft gasp, rapidly backpedaling down towards the torch-lit door.

“Ruby!” the raven-haired girl called out softly as she hurried to catch up. “What? What did you hear?”

“Nothing I heard,” Ruby muttered, examining the door before them. “Sensed. We need to move fast. Can you get the door open?”

“I need to check for traps, and-”

“Blake.” The brunette took her companion by the shoulders, staring into her wide amber eyes earnestly. “We have  _ got _ to get out of here quickly. Please, get the door open. Hurry.”

The Faunus Rogue blinked her eyes and then nodded rapidly, pulling her tools out and getting to work. Ruby stood guard, watching the hallway with as much vigilance as she kept a metaphorical eye on the guest downstairs.

_ What in Oum’s name is another of my kind doing here? Whoever they are, I just hope they don’t bother looking when they’ve already been here for awhile… _

With a muted, triumphant cry, Blake stood to her feet and pushed the door open. The library was fairly small, more of a study really, which would make the searching go easier.

The pair split up after sealing the portal behind them, looking through the bookshelves and stacks. Blake handled the drawers of the desk, checking for traps there as well while rifling through papers.

“Nothing?” the raven-haired girl finally asked, stepping back from the desk.

“Nothing,” Ruby sighed, her arms crossed. She turned towards the only other door leading from the room, though it was disguised behind a false panel. She was entirely too anxious to wait for Blake to ‘find’ the door ahead of her, and just nodded towards it. “Can you, please?”

Blake gave her a funny look as she passed, but the brunette was still concentrating hard. No change in position or anything of the sort, meaning they were still hopefully undiscovered. Regrettably, the room they were now in had no window to provide an easy escape, nor would a treasure room likely have one. A bolt-hole, perhaps, but none that her sharp eyes could determine as of yet.

It didn’t take long for the Cat Faunus to pop open the secret door, swinging it inside to reveal a much larger room than the one they were in now. Both stepped forward, eyeing the shelves of small boxes and chests, scrolls, and items of value.

And then Ruby’s eyes landed on a statue at the end of the room. It was carved out of stone, holding a two-handed sword in its hands, but what caught her attention were the subtle runes lining its torso.

“Oh, shitbiscuits,” Ruby breathed as the runes began to glow.

Blake had noticed as well, cautiously inching backwards. “Is that…”

“A golem? Yep.”

“Fuck me…”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

They both heard a soft  _ click _ come from behind them, though neither girl took their eyes off of the magical guardian that was slowly stirring.

“Did the door just seal behind us?”

“Yep.”

“We’re completely screwed, aren’t we.” The question was more of a resigned statement as Blake slipped a knife into each hand, knowing just how futile the effort would be against a stone golem. The magical constructs could shrug off blades with ease, usually only affected by blunt weapons.

Which, of course, neither girl carried.

“Not completely,” Ruby murmured as she eased her way to the side of the room. “Can you distract it?”

Blake snorted softly. “Yeah, does being turned into paste count as a distraction?”

“It does, yes, but let’s not let it get to that point, okay?”

“Right.”

Blake slid towards the opposite wall as the golem finally came to life, lifting its stone blade up menacingly as it advanced. The Cat Faunus immediately flung a knife at the golem’s head. Though the small blade bounced off harmlessly, it certainly attained its consideration. The construct turned her way, continuing its slow approach.

“Okay, got its attention,” Blake squeaked. “What was the next step? Ruby?”

Her breathing quickened as she got no response.

“ _ Ooooh _ , this is gonna seriously suck,” the Rogue murmured as she prepared to fling herself to the side.

But then a resounding  _ crack _ sounded throughout the spacious room, and the stone golem paused as if in confusion. The noise was followed by several identical sounds in rapid succession until a series of cracks appeared, splitting the guardian’s head in two. Almost in slow motion, it crumbled into small shards as the magic holding it together failed.

Standing behind the golem, weapon still upraised in both hands, was a heavily-breathing Ruby.

“Well, how about that,” the brunette grinned. “It worked.”

“Is that… Is that a candlestick?” Blake asked incredulously.

“Yep!” Ruby cheerfully tossed the giant silver candle holder behind her shoulder. “Makes for a handy club in a pinch!”

“Right,” the Cat Faunus smirked, relief evident on her features. “I’ll just… go see if that raised an alarm.”

Ruby tilted her head worriedly. “Yeah… they know.” She could hear the cries of alarm already, but the other presence she’d felt hadn’t moved yet. Hopefully, they were still blissfully unaware of her exact nature, but it wouldn’t last for long. “Can you hold them off while I search? Sounds like guards approaching.”

“Will do.” Blake strode over to the secret door, opening it now that the magical trap had been deactivated, and exited the treasure room.

Ruby practically flew through the room, digging through everything she could find as the sounds of combat rang out from the other room. While there were plenty of baubles and coin and other such treasures, there was no manuscript.

Giving the room one more probing gaze to confirm that there were no other exits, she quickly trotted over to the door...

...Where Blake now stood nonchalantly, a pile of bodies piled up by the exit. She was casually trimming one of her nails with a dagger in a pose so contrived, Ruby couldn’t help but bark out a quick laugh.

“Going for the total badass look, Blake?”

“Mmm. Did it work?”

Giggling, Ruby grabbed her partner by the hand and jumped with her over the corpses. “I think the body count lends you more credence.”

“I can still look good doing it, though,” the Cat Faunus grinned.

_ Yeah, yeah you do… Dammitall, focus on the mission, not the girl! _

They came to a skidding halt at the door that they’d come through before, only for Ruby to grab Blake’s shoulder and haul her back. “Not that way.”

“What? But-”

“It’s not safe, let’s try the front.”

“The front?” Blake sputtered as she ran alongside the brunette.

“Sure, they never expect you to leave by the front door!” Ruby replied cheerfully.

“That’s because it’s insane!”

Ruby tried to grin, but it was held back by her worry. She’d sensed the presence now up on the rooftop, evidently trying to head them off. This was their easiest escape route, unfortunately, but she was pretty sure they wouldn’t make it in time.

Well, if she had to fight another of her kind, she could do so.

_ I think. Never really tried it before… Really, really wish I’d brought  _ Crescent Rose _ with me tonight... _

They raced out onto the upper terrace, Ruby still in the lead as they tore down the long staircase. And then, just as their feet touched the marble of the ground-floor foyer, they heard slow, sardonic clapping.

“Well, well, well… If it isn’t my favorite little kitty cat…”

Blake froze, her tail lashing angrily behind her as an orange-haired man in a white coat walked out from a doorway to join them in the large open space.

“Roman,” she growled irritably.

“Oh, come on, now, is that any way to greet your Guildmaster?” Torchwick chuckled. “Here you are, on an unsanctioned burglary, and of a very dear friend of mine I might add, and all you can give me is  _ hostility _ ?” He made a  _ tsking _ sound, wide condescending smirk firmly affixed as he twirled a cane in his hand. “I’m very disappointed. Dismayed, you might say.”

“Stow it,” Blake replied shortly. “We’re leaving here.”

Ruby kept motionless at her companion’s side, knowing that it was far too late for an easy exit now. The presence was fully aware of her and was moving steadily down the staircase. Older than her, but that wasn’t much of a shock, really. She wouldn’t be able to grasp the measure from the other of her kind until they were closer.

“Oh, come now, kitty cat. You don’t write, you don’t visit… I’m feeling quite neglected.” The orange-haired man fingered the round hat atop his head. “Just paying your dues doesn’t mean you’re still good with the Guild.”

“It used to,” Blake snarled back, her muscles trembling. “Before you took over. What are you even doing here? The Guildmaster of the Thief’s Guild shouldn’t even be associating with someone like Canderous Aurum.”

“Well, my dear, I did say we’re good friends.” Torchwick slowly circled the two girls, his cane alternately twirling in his hand and tapping on the floor. “But if you must know… we’re in a bit of a business deal here. One that has been  _ very _ profitable to both of our Guilds, even though Canderous is no longer head of the Assassin’s Guild.”

“You’re monologuing,” Ruby stated quietly.

“Oh, she does talk!” the man cheered sardonically. “I thought you were the short and silent type, hired for your muscle. Well, yes I am, admittedly. Just stalling for time until my new associate can join us and Aurum can return with reinforcements.”

“We should make a run for it,” Blake whispered.

Ruby just shook her head. “Too late for that.”

“In any case, your presence here means the two of you lovely girls will have to die tonight.” Torchwick paused, regarding them thoughtfully. “It’s a shame, really, as you were a valuable member of the Guild. Ah, well, that’s what recruitment drives are for.” He raised his voice then, calling out into the shadows lining the foyer. “My dear, are you finished lurking so that we can get this party started?”

And then a slim girl nonchalantly strolled across the foyer from the other side. She wore white leggings that came down to her knees and a crop top of the same color. Light crimson eyes bore into Ruby under a fringe of mint-green hair.

“The short one is mine,” she growled menacingly.

“As you wish, Emerald, my sweet,” Torchwick replied with an extravagant bow.

“Oh, shit,” Blake breathed. “Ruby, we have to run, I’ve seen her before, Yang told me to run if I ever see her again…”

The brunette placed her hand reassuringly on Blake’s arm, cutting off her panicked babbling. “It’s okay. I got her, if you can take Roman.”

Not bothering to wait for an answer, she started across the room in a measured walk to meet the green-haired girl.

_ I hope you can handle him, Blake, ‘cause I’m about to have my hands full... _

“So, a puny little Silver,” the other girl chuckled as she stopped a few paces apart. “Little young to be mixed up in all this, aren’t you?”

Ruby smiled menacingly, allowing her silver eyes to darken to a stormy grey once again. “I might surprise you, Green.”

“We’ll see.” Emerald’s eyes went from crimson to a burning orange.

At a wordless signal, the two of them darted forward, slamming into each other with enough force to crack the marble underneath. Emerald quickly spun, grabbing Ruby by her arm and flinging her into the staircase, collapsing it onto her head.

“Disappointing,” the green-haired girl chuckled as she approached through the cloud of dust and debris, ignoring the fierce sounds of combat elsewhere in the room. Torchwick had drawn the concealed sword from his cane by this point and was using both in a dextrous display. Blake, however, was easily keeping up with him, her long daggers already having nicked him a few times. The Guildmaster was beginning to show a few cracks in his confidence as he was forced further onto the defensive.

As Emerald neared the rubble at the end of the room, it suddenly exploded outward. She dodged a rather large chunk as it sailed past her head, turning to view her opponent with an anticipatory smirk.

“Right,” the brunette stated flatly. “Let’s try that again, shall we?”

“Gladly,” the green-haired girl grinned.

The pair clashed once more, only this time it was Emerald who was knocked back. They traded blows and kicks, each one enough to stagger an Ogre. The other girl’s glowing orange eyes widened as she experienced the unexpected strength of the brunette.

Ruby snarled as she dropped to the floor, spinning her leg around. It met Emerald’s knee with a meaty  _ thunk _ , staggering the girl briefly. It was enough of an opening for the brunette to twirl on her hands and deliver a mighty kick into the green-haired girl’s face, sending her sprawling backwards.

“You little bitch!” Emerald snarled, leaping back to her feet. Unfortunately for her, it was only to be met with another kick, this one to her sternum. Ruby had put a decent amount of her aura into the strike, and it sent the green-haired girl flying backwards and through the wall, collapsing part of the house on top of her.

Breathing heavily, Ruby turned to see how her partner was doing. Torchwick had been giving her a bit of a harder time with the extended reach of both sword and cane, but Blake was finally able to step inside his guard, slashing deeply into both arms. He cried out in pain, dropping his weapons which left him open to the spin-kick that the Cat Faunus delivered, felling him into a boneless heap.

Ruby eyed the bleeding man on the floor as she walked up next to the raven-haired girl. Blake was wide-eyed and panting, her daggers clutched with white-knuckled hands.

“So, Blake... you gonna finish him or what?”

The Cat Faunus stared hard at the crumpled form at her feet. Ruby easily comprehended how Torchwick had represented everything she had fought against, both in herself and in the Guild, and there he lay, completely at her mercy.

“I don’t know,” the raven-haired Faunus whispered hesitantly.

“Okay,” Ruby said hurriedly. “So, there’s more bad guys coming, and then there’s the green-haired chick who’s not gonna be terribly happy with me sending her through the wall, so let’s make up our mind, huh?”

“I’m  _ not _ an assassin anymore,” Blake growled quietly, glancing up at the petite brunette.

Her partner for the evening sighed softly. “No, you’re not. But he  _ was  _ trying to kill you. There’s a time for killing, and this would be it, not to leave a live enemy behind us who not only knows who we are but would likely be looking for revenge, right?”

Blake gripped the handle of her dagger tightly, staring back down at the form at her feet. Ruby noticed her Faunus ears twitched as they picked up on the distant approaching hobnailed bootsteps of more guards from the streets outside, but she still looked to be struck with indecision.

Coming to a decision of her own, Ruby darted in front of her, holding her by the shoulders and staring intently into her amber eyes.

“Blake, I will not think any less of you either way,” she stated solemnly. “I will do this for you if you wish.”

The raven-haired girl sucked in a quick breath before nodding decisively. “No,” she whispered. “I’ll do it.”

Without further hesitation, Blake crouched down and noiselessly slit the Guildmaster’s throat. Wiping the blade on his soiled white coat, she stood once more and sheathed her dagger.

“Let’s go.”

The pair of them slipped out the front door, sticking closely to the shadows as numerous mercenary-type figures marched rapidly down the street past them and into the ruined manor. They ducked into an alleyway and nimbly scurried up to the rooftops, then proceeded to jump from roof to roof until they were a comfortable distance away.

“Well,” Ruby sighed as they paused to catch their breath. “That was a close call.”

“Too close,” Blake agreed somberly.

“You okay?”

“I’m… fine.”

“Blake.”

The Cat Faunus looked up and into Ruby’s earnest silver eyes.

“You sure you’re okay?” the brunette whispered, laying a consoling hand upon the other girl’s arm.

Blake looked away, blushing lightly though nodding. “Yes, I will be. I’m sorry that was all for nothing.”

“Well, not completely,” Ruby giggled as she pulled out the pouch she’d pilfered. She handed it over to Blake, grinning as her amber eyes widened upon viewing the gems contained therein.

“Didn’t see the need to leave empty-handed,” the brunette finished with a smirk.

“Spoken like a true thief,” Blake chuckled. She dipped two slender fingers inside the pouch, withdrawing a large, sparkling ruby. “Here, you keep this one.”

Ruby’s breath hitched in her chest at the gesture. “Thanks,” she whispered.

The Cat Faunus merely nodded as she tied the pouch and slid it inside her vest. “We should head back.”

“Yeah, let’s.”

Her mind was awhirl as she followed in Blake’s footsteps.

_ Of course, the first crush I get is for a spirit as free as hers… Well, not like I really have the time to think about this kinda stuff. Maybe after we get the Orb, after my mother’s death can be redeemed, and things are settled down, then I can maybe talk to her, see if she’s even interested. _

The brunette shook her head, a part of her amused that someone like her could even be this reluctant to face something as simple as asking a girl out.

_ I suppose some things between the races aren’t all that different, are they? _

* * *

Yang sighed softly as she readied herself for bed. Granted, being who she was and what she could do, it didn’t take much. Biological necessities were a must in any case, but otherwise, she simply indulged herself in the wholly unnecessary but highly enjoyable task of brushing her hair.

And while she did so, sitting cross-legged on her bed in her plain linen shift, she let her mind drift in reminiscence of the day’s activities. As well as a certain blue-eyed Elven girl that had accompanied her during her efforts to procure mounts and supplies for their upcoming expedition.

_ She’s definitely different, _ the blonde mused.  _ Not just in looks, though sure she’s gorgeous and all. What is it about her I find so attractive? _

Perhaps unsurprisingly, several qualities immediately sprang to mind. Her sharp intellect, quick wit, obvious magical skill, her fearlessness from the stories Nora and Ruby had told around the table the previous evening… While her outer beauty was undeniable, it was her inner qualities which seemed to draw her in like a moth to a flame.

Which, come to think of it, was a very apt analogy, if in the reverse.

Humming to herself tunelessly, Yang set her hairbrush down, one of the few items she actually carried with her in her rucksack, and stared out of the window across the dimly-lit rooftops of Vale.

_ I have to be careful, there’s no possible way this could end well for either of us, especially now of all times… Still, I can’t deny my feelings for Weiss, even if she might not feel the same. _

Her introspection was interrupted by light but firm knocks on her door. She froze momentarily but then sprang up with a grin before her brain could remind her what a monumentally disastrous idea this could turn out to be.

Indeed, as she expected, Weiss stood outside her door, arms wrapped around her middle. The diminutive Elf was wearing nothing but a pale blue nightgown that came fairly close to mirroring her eyes. That, and a rather tentative smile.

_ Oooh, this is bad, this is  _ such  _ a bad idea… _

Her libido promptly told her brain to shut up as it took over completely.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” Yang grinned. “Something I can do for you?”

Weiss opened her mouth, only to close it again with an unusually timid look on her face. All throughout the day, she’d been both decisive and confident, qualities Yang found immensely desirable. Though, admittedly, her hesitation regarding what the blonde presumed to be her intentions here so late at night, was something she found to be rather adorable.

Opening the door further, Yang stepped aside and gave her a wordless welcoming gesture. The platinum-haired Elf offered her a regal nod of gratitude as she glided by on bare feet, stopping in the center of the room and facing away from her.

Yang closed the door behind her, silently sliding the lock shut. “What’s on your mind, princess?”

The girl shot her a quick glare over her shoulder at the nickname before turning her gaze back out the window. “You,” she replied simply.

“Hmm,” Yang murmured, inching closer to the slim girl. “Funny enough, I could say the same of you as well.”

“Is that so?” the Elven Mage whispered, still with her back turned. “Well, then…”

She finally turned around, regarding the blonde pensively. “I suppose you’ve made no secret of your… regards for myself. I was unsure at first if it was all bluster… But I can tell that’s not the case.”

“No,” Yang breathed, allowing the heat of her emotions to leak into her lilac eyes, knowing that they were likely ringed with crimson. “No, it’s not.” She took another slow step forward, like a predator unwilling to startle her prey.

Only this prey seemed perfectly willing to be caught and devoured. “Then know I have the same regard for you,” Weiss stated, her voice still kept to the level of a whisper.

Yang took another step, now within arm’s reach. “So, then, why are you here?”

“I think you know.”

“No, I need to hear it from you, gorgeous. Why are you here?”

The white-haired girl swallowed, the only outward sign of her nervousness. “I wish for you to bed me.”

“I was hoping that’s what you’d say,” Yang grinned, stepping forward once more so that their bodies almost touched, though she kept her hands to her sides still through sheer willpower alone. “And will I be your first?”

“Yes,” Weiss replied, barely audible now as her lips hardly even moved.

“And you know that you won’t be  _ my _ first.”

“Yes,” Weiss repeated, pale blue eyes shining.

“I have to warn you, though,” Yang said firmly, though she kept her voice quiet. She had to get this out, even though by now she could easily smell the other woman’s desire. “Once I get started, it’s… difficult for me to stop. What I mean to say is… If you’re having second thoughts, or want to back out, I won’t mind, but… you have to say so now.” She lifted a hand up, trembling with her efforts at restraint, to rest on the Elf’s cheek. “Are you sure about this?”

“Oum, yes,” Weiss breathed.

Yang grinned exultantly. “Alright, then…”

Weiss let out a soft squeal as Yang swept her up in her arms, carrying her bridal-style over to her bed.

“Oh,” the Elf giggled nervously. “Is that how it is, then?”

Yang let out a wordless, quiet growl, causing the other girl’s eyes to dilate with need. She lay Weiss down upon the bed as gently as possible before pulling her shift up over her head, shaking out her blonde locks. The taller girl noted with a smirk how Weiss was now staring at her avidly, pale blue eyes roaming eagerly over her toned, naked body.

“Weiss.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re drooling.”

Unwillingly her hand shot up to her mouth, only to grace the chuckling woman with a glare at her teasing. “Oaf,” she muttered. “Are you the only one to be unclothed here?”

“Oh, no, not at all,” Yang grinned wider, sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

With gentle care, she lifted the petite girl up by her slim hips, settling her onto her lap and straddling the blonde. Already she could feel the heat from the other girl’s core as it now rested against her abdomen, the silken nightshirt riding up her thighs.

And evidently it was in the forefront of Weiss’ senses as well. She let out a soft groan as her slender legs wrapped around Yang’s waist, pulling them in tighter and causing the blonde to chuckle once more.

She lifted both hands up to cup the beautiful Elf’s face, staring into her captivating blue eyes intently. Ever so slowly, she lowered her lips towards Weiss’, still holding her gaze unblinkingly.

The lips that so often formed into a hard, disapproving line, or curled up ever so slightly into a sarcastic grin, right then felt like the softest substance on Remnant. Yang was trembling like a leaf on an Autumn wind at the attempt to hold back from devouring her right then and there, but she managed to take her time, closing her eyes and savoring the feel of those silken, wondrous lips against her own.  _ I have to take care, not just for myself… This should be something wondrous for her as her first time, and I want nothing more than to provide that for her... _

She almost let out a startled gasp as the platinum-haired girl was the first to initiate the deepening of the kiss, her small but warm tongue poking out inquisitively. Yang eagerly complied, parting her lips and hungrily exploring the insides of her mouth.

As her tongue was busy, so were her hands. They roamed up and down the slender Elf’s sides, her thumbs brushing up against the undersides of her small chest. Unable to hold back further, Yang growled once more in the back of her throat as she tugged upwards on Weiss’ nightgown.

The other girl separated just long enough to fling her nightwear over her head and off to the side before eagerly clamping back down upon Yang’s mouth. The blonde now stroked Weiss’ naked back, cupping the cheeks of her rear momentarily before moving on, mapping every inch of the Elf’s body that she could reach. She marveled at the feel of all that loose, unbound white hair spilling from her hands like water. Yang then let out a pleased moan as she ran her fingers along those surprisingly muscled legs that were still locked around her waist.

And Weiss was not idle with her own hands, hesitantly exploring her lean, toned limbs and flat abdominals. She seemed to enjoy her rear end in particular, resting both of her hands there and squeezing earnestly.

Yang leaned back ever so slightly, enough to finally slide her industrious hands up the girl’s flat stomach and cup her small breasts. That actually caused Weiss to break away from the kiss again, letting out a shocked gasp at the pleasurable contact. She massaged her gently at first, but then began to knead her tiny nipples, already pebbled with arousal. Weiss’ head was thrown back as she moaned in ecstasy at the attention, and the blonde took advantage of her position by giving her porcelain neck a series of licks, nibbles, and kisses. Her attention only served to increase the volume of the smaller girl’s moans, as she began to grind her warm core into her stomach, tentatively caressing Yang’s own more generous breasts.

“Y- Yang,” the breathless Elf moaned. “C- Can we p- please lay down… b- before I fall over?”

The blonde laughed lightly into her neck. “Absolutely, gorgeous.” She was quick to acquiesce, pulling Weiss around effortlessly to lay her across her sheets. Yang hovered over her on all fours, her crimson gaze claiming her prize visually before doing so in a far more intimate fashion.

“Are you ready for this?” she whispered harshly, feeling the sweat beading upon her brow in tune with the heat coursing through her system.

“Yes,” Weiss murmured, running her hand through Yang’s curled tresses and offering her a smile, any trace of hesitancy now gone. “Please…”

Yang could only give a grunt of acknowledgment before she plunged down, ravishing the pale beauty below her with far less gentle kisses and nips. The slender Elf let out a surprised  _ yelp _ when her teeth clamped down on her hip, but soon enough it dissolved into a needy whine when the blonde’s hand ran along the inside of her thigh.

And then her mouth was there, covering her core and assaulting the girl’s lower lips. Weiss arched her back at the wholly unfamiliar pleasure, rocking her hips in tune with her lover’s tongue as it plunged into her. And then Yang moved up to her sensitive nubbin, tearing a startled scream from the Elf’s throat.

“Oh, GODS! Bloody fucking Oum, Yang!”

Yang was pulled back into the moment by the uncharacteristic swearing, laughing softly into Weiss’ labia as she eased her fingers inside. 

If her screams were loud and piercing before, they were nothing compared to the banshee-like howls that issued forth from the normally demure Elven girl. Weiss was like a woman possessed, writhing and undulating underneath Yang as the blonde continued her ministrations, plunging her fingers inside while sucking and licking her clit.

It actually took much longer than she anticipated, but eventually Yang could feel the other girl’s slender legs tightening around her head as the pace of her panting increased. With the ease borne of experience, she curled her fingers up, unerringly finding the sweet spot at the front.

Weiss let out one more wordless shriek of pleasure before collapsing back against the bed, limp and unmoving.

She eased her finger out before crawling up beside her lover, licking her digits off with a wide and self-assured grin. 

Yang waited patiently for the overwrought Elf to regain consciousness, caressing her side with gentle fingers. The blonde’s head swiveled over towards the door upon hearing the sound of a loud pounding.

“You didn’t kill her, didja?” Nora’s voice called out cheerfully.

“Nope, she’s unconscious, not dead,” Yang replied merrily.

“Okay then, carry on!”

The blonde laughed to herself with the realization that likely the entire tavern, if not the neighborhood, was now aware of their activity.

Pondering just how mortified her new lover might feel upon this knowledge, she failed to notice when the platinum-haired girl awoke until a slender hand slid up across her cheek.

“Hey,” Yang murmured, gazing down into pools of pale blue.

“Hey,” Weiss answered breathlessly.

“Sooo… I take it you enjoyed that?”

The Elf blinked her eyes slowly. “Yang… I am a Mage. I have relished and endured the exquisite power that comes from magic coursing through my veins, the experience akin to standing upon the tallest mountain and gazing out across the world like a goddess.”

It was Yang’s turn to blink. “Okaaay…”

“But to compare that to what I just experienced… is like a toothpick beside that oversized hedge-trimming instrument of death that your sister carries around.”

It took Yang only a moment or two to wrap her head around the complicated analogy that Weiss was weaving, but when it finally clicked, she broke out into another wide grin. “So… you liked it.”

“Yes, Yang,” the Elven girl sighed with a roll of her eyes. “I loved it.”

“Well, good. There’s more where that came from.”

“Oh, really?” Weiss giggled, the new sound like that of wind chimes, instantly entrancing the blonde brawler. “How long will it take for us to be kicked out of our rooms?”

“Nah, never happen,” Yang smirked. “I bribed the owner.”

“You… What?” The Elf glared at her smug expression. “You were expecting me to show up tonight?”

“Hoping, yes. Not expecting.” Yang shrugged a bare shoulder. “Helps to be prepared.”

“I suppose so,” Weiss murmured. “Well, I do believe I’ve regained some feeling in my limbs. Though I suppose I should return to my quarters for a healing draught at some point this evening…”

“No need,” Yang snickered, indicating her rucksack with a tip of her blonde mane. “I got both healing and stamina potions. Prepared, remember?”

“Very well, then.” Weiss pushed on the blonde’s shoulder, rolling her over and surprising her with her strength. “Your turn.”

“Absolutely,” Yang sighed, exulting in the feel of the slim girl’s limbs around her as Weiss began to map her own way down her body.

_ Oh, yeah, this is not gonna end well… But at this point, I really can’t give a good gods-be-damned… I’m gonna enjoy the ride for all it’s worth. _

_ And just pray the fallout is worth the journey. _

* * *

On the other side of town, a sleepy member of the King’s Council was about to finally turn in for the night when a light and hesitant rap sounded at her door.

The raven-haired woman’s head snapped around, quickly ascertaining the identity of her caller. Though she was tempted to ignore it, knowing that the person would slink off alone if unanswered, she knew that it must be of some import to be bothering her this late.

Idle interruptions were not tolerated.

With slow, measured steps, Cinder walked to her door and opened it. On the other side was an extremely battered and bruised Emerald, mint-green hair in disarray and clothing torn.

“What happened?” she demanded flatly, standing aside to allow the shorter woman to enter.

“There’s another one in town,” Emerald reported weakly, staggering inside and swaying on her feet. “Silver, a young one from what I could tell.”

Cinder growled quietly, closing the door and bolting it once more. “Did she get away?”

“Yeah, she did,” the green-haired girl answered. She gave the woman a disgruntled look. “You know me, I wouldn’t fuck something like this up without cause. She’s strong, way stronger than I expected. And… there’s more.”

Sighing, the raven-haired woman nodded as she sat on the edge of her bed. “There usually is.” With uncommon courtesy, she patted the spot next to her.

Emerald’s eyes lit up as she scampered over, perching next to the other woman. She hesitantly leaned over to rest her head on Cinder’s shoulder, but when she wasn’t immediately rebuked she melted into her side. 

“Roman’s dead.”

Cinder had begun to reach up to pat her head, but her hand froze momentarily. The smaller girl tensed up, prepared to flee, but relaxed when the raven-haired woman completed the action.

“I see. Was it the Silver?”

“No, some Cat Faunus. I think she used to work for him. But the two of them were together.”

“No sign of Yang?”

“Not at all, but I think they might be associated with each other. I believe I remember that Faunus girl from the pub where we found Yang in the city. Too much of a coincidence.”

“I agree,” Cinder purred, stroking Emerald’s hair back. “Where is Mercury?”

“Off on his own,” the smaller girl snorted. “He figured we’d cover more ground that way, the arrogant ass. I was speaking with Roman and his buddy to try and track down Yang, but those other two girls interrupted our little talk. Permanently.” Emerald craned her neck to peer up at Cinder warily. “How badly does this affect the plan?”

“Not at all,” Cinder smirked slightly. “He was approaching the end of his usefulness, the list was almost complete. Only two left, and I can handle them myself. In fact,” she smirked, her amber eyes flaring crimson, “it would be my genuine pleasure to eliminate the final two.”

“Good,” Emerald whispered tiredly.

“Are you fatigued, my sweet?” Cinder asked. “I’ll tell you what… If you please me this night, I will allow you to stay with me until morning.”

“Really?” Emerald exclaimed, all trace of exhaustion dissipated. “Oh, I most certainly shall, My Lady, I won’t disappoint you!”

“I don’t expect you will,” Cinder murmured, her smirk turning somewhat cruel before she leaned in to capture the smaller woman’s mouth in a rough, crushing kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was a thing. Many things, in fact. A little action, a little killing, a little sex… a little dubious comfort plus more off-camera implied sex… Hey, this thing is rated M, right? Oh, and now we have Blake’s secret revealed! Now, I had only four scenes I wanted to include in this chapter, I worked on them in reverse order and each one grew more than I’d intended. And so we’re left with this chapter of rather impressive length with perspectives from both sisters. I actually had to completely take out the first scene, rework it a little, and move it to the beginning of the next chapter.


	13. Read and Right

**Volume 2**

******City of Vale**

“When walking into the lair of the dragon after robbing his hoard,  
the least you could do is hold your head high.”  
~ Ilona Andrews, Fate's Edge

 

“She really has improved, just in the month or so since you had visited last,” the indigo-haired Elf next to Pyrrha murmured.

“Indeed,” she nodded levelly, gazing out across the training yard situated within the walls of the small keep. “Actual combat can do that.”

“Oh, undoubtedly,” Nebula laughed softly, her own olive-colored eyes watching the bout with interest.

The tiny fortress located within the town walls, much like others of its ilk spread across the kingdoms, was the home for the Vale chapter of the Order of Artemis. As such, it served as both haven and place of respite, though there was always a small contingent of Knights who were garrisoned there, along with the local Head of the Order, a position awarded by merit and ability. Some of these Knights preferred to be tied down to one particular town or kingdom, while others merely took a brief hiatus from adventuring across the breadth of Remnant, much as Pyrrha and her squire were doing at that particular moment. Of course, there were other reasons for Knights to gather together, such as the sharing of information.

“So from what you've been telling me,” Pyrrha interjected quietly over the clash of steel. “Vale has quite suddenly experienced a severe loss of leadership?”

Nebula nodded slowly, wincing slightly as Gwen received a particularly brutal strike against her shield, driving her back a step. Jeanne was quick to press her advantage, her long blonde hair streaming behind her in twin ponytails as she twirled about, sword flashing in the late afternoon sun.

“Captain of the Guard, both for the town and Vale Keep… Heads of most Guilds and Orders… Most of the King’s Council...” The Elven Knight shook her head slowly. “I’d normally look towards the Assassin’s Guild or even the Thief’s Guild with some amount of suspicion, but the heads of both have turned up dead recently as well. Guildmaster of Assassins Butcher was slain about a week ago, but there’s been nobody to replace him. Someone else is pulling the strings there from the shadows. And Guildmaster of Thieves Torchwick was killed a couple of nights ago.”

“The head of the Assassin’s Guild was named Butcher?” Pyrrha interjected incredulously, glossing over the latter mention as she’d received a detailed retelling of Ruby and Blake’s encounter with the man.

Nebula snorted softly. “Yes, nobody could ever call that lot  _ subtle _ . Their profession notwithstanding.”

The redhead sighed, glancing up at the multistoried fortified building behind her. “And still no word on Lady Ingrid?”

The Elven Knight shook her head once more, sadly this time. “No, and none of the Knights who went to look for her have returned, either. Granted, they might still be following her trail all the way to Mistral, but…”

“There should be something,” Pyrrha finished for her friend. She reached over to clasp a crimson armored fist over the grey one of the ranking Knight of their Order still in Vale. “It might yet prove to be other than foul play.”

“With all the other murders and missing people around here?” Nebula snorted again. “I sincerely doubt that. But I will await word from Headmistress Sienna on how she wishes to handle the situation.” Her olive-colored eyes grew worried as her gaze dropped. “I do not wish to become Head of this chapter under such circumstances.”

“We all do as we must,” Pyrrha consoled softly. “We are Knights.”

The pair of them glanced up at a loud  _ crash _ . Gwen was now on her back, disarmed and with her hands raised in surrender. A flushed but quite pleased-looking Jeanne sheathed her sword, chest heaving from exertion, as she extended a hand to help her opponent up.

“Speaking of which, why has she not been Knighted yet?” Nebula asked wryly. “I’m the only one here to have beaten her, she and Octavia fought each other to a standstill… Neither Gwen nor Dew are exactly pushovers, so she obviously has the skill.” She shot the redhead an amused glance. “Your training has definitely paid off.”

“Well, yes, she’s certainly been an able student,” Pyrrha admitted, working very hard to keep any trace of a blush off of her face.  _ If only you knew the extent of her motivation and how incredibly attractive I find that quality, among other aspects of that wonderfully gorgeous woman… _

She gave herself a quick shake to distract from that line of thought. “But it still comes down to the lance, unfortunately.”

Nebula snorted once more. It was very unladylike habit she’d maintained even after attaining Knighthood a decade ago. “Please, that is such an outdated requirement…”

“But a requirement nonetheless.”

“Unless she has some feat of nobility or fame to circumvent the usual requirements.”

Pyrrha nodded slowly. “Indeed. The quest we are on now… Well, opportunities abound. We shall see what circumstances will afford us the chance. If we stay alive, that is.”

“Really?” the indigo-haired woman scoffed. “Nothing will happen to the Invincible Lady Nikos.”

“You are certain of that, are you, Lady Violette?” the redhead asked with a grin.

“I am, and I will provide you the opportunity to remind us all why you’re one of the best in the Order.” Nebula gave her a wink as she stepped off of the platform they’d been observing from. “Care to spar with me, sister?”

“It would be my pleasure, sister,” Pyrrha replied warmly, hopping off of the stone terrace with a jingle of her metal armor.

* * *

“Sooo…” the brunette crouched next to Blake murmured.

“Mmm?” she hummed inquisitively in response.

Ruby turned towards her, smirk very evident even in the dim light cast by the overhead broken moon. “Yang and Weiss, huh?”

The Cat Faunus let out a soft snort. “So I hear.”

“So everyone in Vale heard,” the diminutive girl chuckled back quietly. “I don’t think poor Jeanne has stopped blushing even now.” She peered curiously at the townhouse across the street as the last remaining lighted window on the top floor finally darkened. “Gotta say, I’m more than a little surprised at Weiss, though.”

“Not Yang?”

“Well…” The blonde’s little sister shot her a speculative look. “Not from the stories you’ve told me.”

“She has definitely been… promiscuous in the past,” Blake hedged. “That was the impression I received. And, yes, she’s been a blatant flirt in the few weeks I’ve known her.”

“Yup.”

“But not Weiss?”

“Nooo…” Ruby giggled, the sound as entrancing as always to the raven-haired girl.  _ Gods, I could just listen to that melodic laugh… No, concentrate, Belladonna… _

The brunette continued on, fortunately not noticing the blush that Blake managed to force down once more, an occurrence that she found herself doing more and more often over the course of the past few evenings. “Yeah, she seemed kinda uptight at first, but she’s really not. Still, I definitely wasn’t expecting her to, y’know… jump on in.”

“So are they just, er… casual lovers?” Blake tried to keep her own voice casual while discussing the couple.

“Well, see, that’s the thing,” Ruby grinned, moving to the side and craning her neck to peer down into the street below. “I think it might’ve started out that way, maybe even for the both of them… But did you see how they were looking at each other this morning?”

Blake shook her head slowly, once again working very arduously to dispel the blush as she recalled exactly who it was that had been the focus of her attention that morning.  _ Like a bloody love-struck teenager, _ she thought with considerable chagrin.

“Yeah, pretty sure they’re hooked,” the brunette giggled once more. “Totally into each other.”

“Oh.”

“So, you wanna do this?”

“Er…” Blake gave herself a shake, taking one more quick perusal of the surrounding area. “Sure, let’s go.”

As the nearby rooftops weren’t all that conducive to landings, the pair dropped down and into an alleyway bordering the building they were on. Then, like shadows themselves, they slipped across the street, darting in between the patches of darkness, until they found themselves up against the servant’s entrance.

“Okay,” Ruby whispered excitedly. “Do your magic!”

Blake couldn’t help but snicker to herself quietly at the shorter girl’s enthusiasm. It was a pervasive trait of hers that the normally reticent Faunus found more endearing every moment spent with her.

Without further ado, the Rogue had the lock picked, and the pair of them slipped inside noiselessly. Fortunately the library was on the ground floor, but first they had to pass through the kitchen and the domestic staff rooms.

Both of them froze, halfway across the darkened kitchen, as they heard soft footsteps approaching, preceded by the faint light of a lantern.

“Damn,” the Faunus Rogue hissed, looking about frantically. She managed to suppress a startled  _ squawk _ as Ruby suddenly pulled on her arm. The shorter girl pushed her into the crowded pantry first, then scooting up against her and closing the door mostly shut.

Blake hardly dared to breathe as Ruby pressed her eye to the crack in the door.

_ Not the only thing that’s being pressed… Oum, last time I was this intimate with a person, it was with far less clothing… _

She desperately closed her eyes, trying very hard to ignore the body up against the front of her. The petite girl with red-tipped brown hair certainly had strength in her limbs, but she was also quite soft in all the right places.

She just prayed that Ruby didn’t turn around anytime soon, else her furious blush would immediately give her away.

“What do you see?” she murmured almost inaudibly.

Ruby turned her head slightly, though it caused her chin to brush up against the raven-haired girl’s breast under her black leather vest. The brunette froze, as if she was just now realizing the position they were in, before quietly clearing her throat.

“It’s…” The petite girl cleared her throat again to dispel the squeaky quality of her voice. “It’s the owner.”

“Why is he down here?”

“Well, if I had to guess… he’s heading for a maid’s room.”

Blake snorted out a soft laugh. “You’re kidding me,” she deadpanned.

Laughing quietly as well, Ruby turned her head once more to face forward. “Hey, I just call ‘em as I see ‘em.”

After another moment’s pause, the faint light from the door crack now receded to nothing once more, the brunette nodded decisively and glided out of the closet. Blake followed on her heels as they snuck through the townhouse, across the foyer and into the library.

“Okay,” Ruby whispered as she closed the door behind them. “Stand guard for me?”

“Sure,” the Rogue shrugged, leaning up against the door and listening intently.

Like the previous break-ins, it didn’t take long for Ruby to ascertain that what they were looking for simply wasn’t there.

In short order the pair had removed themselves from the home, locking the door back behind them once more, and found themselves sauntering down the street nonchalantly.

“I have a question,” Blake murmured after a bit.

“Sure, what’s up, Blakey?”

The Cat Faunus glanced aside at the bubbly brunette. “Blakey?”

“Oh, um… Sorry, I won’t call you that if it bothers you…”

“No, not at all, it’s just…” Blake frowned slightly. “Most people, when they create a nickname for me, base it upon my heritage. Like your sister did.”

“Oh. Well, would you prefer that?”

“No, I don’t mind… Blakey is… different.” Privately, she decided that she rather liked it.  _ As unique to me as she is. _

“So, what was your question?” Ruby prompted.

“Oh, yes… How can you be certain that this manuscript would not be hidden away somewhere from prying eyes?”

“Well, couple of reasons,” Ruby began after a moment’s hesitation. “For one, a collector would want to show something like this off to visitors, not keep it hidden away.”

“But they could secure it, and then bring it out to display.”

“Yes, that’s true. But then the other thing comes into play.”

Blake glanced aside at her companion curiously as the brunette chewed on her bottom lip. “Er… if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine…”

“No, it’s not that, just…” Ruby sighed. “There’s some stuff I can’t really explain yet, okay? One of those is how I can sense if the manuscript is close by. So I’m not just physically looking for it, I’m also kind of… extending my senses to see if it’s there, or has been recently. It will have sort of a… a residue, because of who’s been in contact with it.”

“Mmm.” The Cat Faunus paced alongside her partner for a few more steps. “And who was in contact with this manuscript last?”

“Uhhh… Yeah, that’s one of the things I can’t talk about.”

Blake shot her a skeptical look, which the brunette returned with a sheepish shrug and an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Blakey, I really do want to… but not yet, okay? It’s… complicated. And even more so now that I found Yang, ‘cause she’s gotta have a say in it too.”

“Fair enough,” the raven-haired girl conceded. She let out a startled  _ eep _ as the shorter girl wrapped her arms around her middle in an unexpected and tight hug.

“Thanks for understanding, Blakey,” the brunette murmured.

Blake paused in her steps, returning the hug with a soft smile and yet another blush. “You’re welcome, Ruby,” she sighed.

The pair separated after what seemed to be an eternity, each of them carefully not looking at the other.

“So!” Ruby exclaimed in a slightly too-loud voice. “Tell me about your bow!”

“My… bow?”

“Yep, the one you have hidden away! Is it magical? Didja name it? Where did you get it from?”

Blake grinned at the enthusiastic line of questioning, not paying much attention to where their meanderings were taking them, instead deciding to relax and enjoy the company. Well, as much as she could ever relax when walking through the darkened streets of Vale at night.

“I call it  _ Gambol Shroud _ . It’s not magical, but very well made, strong and accurate. The black wood is what attracted me to it when I saw it in a stash that had been, er… ‘liberated’ from a merchant convoy. It’s easily concealable at night.”

“Black wood?” Ruby interjected, her silver eyes shining. When Blake nodded, her steps seemed to bounce a little more in her excitement. “Does it have any runes carved into the wood?”

“Yes, it does, mostly vines and leaves and the like. It’s very pretty, but…”

“Oh my Oum, Blakey, do you not know what you have?” Ruby almost squealed with delight.

She couldn’t help but return the grin of her enthusiastic companion. “Er, no? I suppose not?”

“Okay, so there’s only one kind of wood that’s both black and strong enough to make a bow out of,” Ruby began, her words spilling forth rapidly as she practically stumbled over herself in her haste to explain. “Duskwood. And a bow with runes already on it, made of Duskwood…? What you have there is the raw material for a really, and I mean  _ really _ powerful enchanted weapon, and probably of Elven make!”

“It… It is?” Blake was understandably perplexed. She’d always felt attached to  _ Gambol Shroud _ , enough so that even after she’d renounced her assassin past, she had clung to it, refusing to give it up. But she had no idea it was truly that valuable for what was presumably a mere bow.

“Oh yeah, trust me, if there’s one thing I know it’s weapons.” By now the brunette was practically skipping alongside. “Hey, can I do the enchanting for you?”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Well, yeah!” Ruby gave her a wide, guileless smile. “Besides, I know Yang promised you a bonus for finding me. This can be it! Oh, I got all kinds of ideas for what we can do…” 

At that the other girl fell silent, her brows furrowed as she evidently went deep into planning mode, leaving Blake even more perplexed.

“You know… it’s really not necessary,” Blake tried to protest quietly. 

Ruby stopped once more, peering up into the Cat Faunus’ eyes with her intense pools of silver. “But I want to,” she stated softly.

“Oh,” Blake murmured, halting as well. “Well, then… thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two stood there for perhaps a good minute before they each gave themselves a shake, chuckling ruefully. Neither one noticed the fierce blush on the other girl’s face as they turned to walk forward once more.

“So…” Blake murmured, playing with the bottom of her vest. “Where are we going next?”

“Oh, yeah…” Ruby laughed hesitantly, rubbing the back of her neck. “Well, everything’s been a bust so far, sooo…”

Blake stopped once more as she saw where their seemingly meandering walk had taken them, peering up at the castle that loomed over them, much as it loomed over the town itself.

Vale Keep.

“Ah,” she murmured. “I see.”

“Still up for it?” Ruby asked with a lopsided grin.

“Oh, sure,” she chuckled nervously. “Never broken into the Royal Library before, much less the Keep itself. Er… should be fun, right?”

“That’s the spirit!” the brunette cheered mutedly. “So, any ideas?”

“Well, I do have one…” Blake pursed her lips, her gaze still riveted on the castle. “I have an associate who broke in once, we can try that way…” A slow smile spread across her lips at the thought.

* * *

“Blake?” the brunette hissed irritably, perhaps an hour later.

“Mmm?”

“This was a terrible idea.”

“You wanted inside…”

Ruby descended into a torrent of barely-audible grumbled curses, while the Rogue simply grinned unrepentantly at her companion’s new attire.

She had to admit, the petite brunette filled out the skimpy maid’s outfit rather ably.

“I don’t get why  _ I _ have to be the one to wear this getup, anyways,” the other girl finally stated flatly as they walked through the deserted corridor.

“It got us through the side gate,” Blake replied levelly. “The guards on the night watch are considerably more lax.”

“Yes, I get that, but how come  _ you _ don’t have to wear one?”

The Cat Faunus was quite skilled at concealing her true emotions behind a neutral mask. Even so, it was a near thing when her smirk almost escaped.

“Because,” the elegantly-dressed female Faunus butler retorted. “This was in my size.”

“But that contact of yours had lots of different uniforms!”

“None that were for the castle staff but these two.”

“Blakey…” the brunette growled warningly.

The raven-haired girl almost stumbled, fearing her charade was uncovered. “Yes?”

“I’m feeling drafts up places I shouldn’t be,” Ruby finally sighed despondently.

“Oh… well, yes, it’s a rather, er… liberal outfit.”

“And why is it they wear this kinda getup?”

“Well, I’m sure it’s pleasing to the residents…”

“Buncha chauvinistic…” Ruby trailed off once more in irritable grumbles. Seeing her now distracted, Blake casually fell behind a few paces.

They walked along, taking a winding staircase up, before finally arriving at the floor of the library. Ruby halted on the landing, glaring suspiciously over her shoulder.

“Are you checking me out from behind?”

“No, not at all,” Blake replied stoically, having anticipated the question. “Merely ensuring nobody sneaks up behind us.”

Ruby gave a noncommittal grunt before flouncing off once more, the frilled skirt that barely covered her posterior bouncing along with every step.

The Cat Faunus followed, her remorseless gaze riveted on said posterior as they traversed the final stretch towards their goal.

They paused at the double doors leading into the Royal Library. “So what’s our story?” Ruby whispered. “If anyone’s inside there, I mean?”

Blake shrugged unconcernedly. “We’re servants. Nobody really notices us, so just look like we belong and there won’t be any questions.”

“Oh. Huh. Well, okay then.”

The pair slipped inside, pausing at the threshold to partake in the sight of the massive room.

“Oh my Oum,” the Cat Faunus breathed, awestruck.

“Yeah,” Ruby murmured in return. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many books in one place.”

Blake gave herself a shake, her tail twitching irritably behind her. “Remember, we belong here. No gaping.”

“You were gaping too!”

“Certainly not, you were the one looking like a tourist.”

“Blakey, I definitely detected a decent amount of gaping from you…”

The Faunus Rogue snorted softly, adjusting the cuffs of her butler disguise. “Nonsense. Come on, let’s look around.”

Ruby gave her a playful glare before starting off, her rather indecent skirt flouncing about her waist. Blake had to suppress another grin as she watched her go, trailing along behind her at a… respectful distance.

And then the petite brunette paused, her head tilted to the side. The Rogue was quick to step around, glancing about cautiously before gazing at her partner’s face.

Eyes of stormy grey were looking out sightlessly, flickering about while her head remained stationary. And then, after a moment, a wide smile crossed her face, and she turned to the right.

“Found it,” she stated smugly.

Darting over to a rather dusty shelf, Ruby’s hand hovered as it drifted along before gently extracting a rather unremarkable-looking rolled-up scroll.

Unremarkable, that is, until the brunette spread it out on a nearby table.

The illustrations along the edges were gloriously colored, vibrant and eye-catching. It was written in Old Valesian, an archaic font rarely found nowadays but one that Blake was fairly well conversed with due to her predication to ‘collect’ antiquities under contract. And her experienced eye told her that this was both quite ancient as well as extraordinarily valuable.

“Oh, this is very nice,” she murmured appreciatively, amber eyes examining the exquisite detail of the sinuous Gold Dragon coiled along one edge, matching that of a Red on the other side.

“Focus, Blakey,” the brunette giggled. “You’re drooling.”

“Am not.”

“Oh, you totally are. Least now I know how to get your attention.”

_ That _ certainly snapped her out of her reverie and caused her to involuntarily blush as well. The Cat Faunus cleared her throat, the ears atop of her head flattened in embarrassment.

“So this is definitely what we’ve been seeking?”

“Yup,” Ruby replied, popping the end of the word as she unraveled more of the scroll. “It’s kinda hard to read, though…”

“I got this,” Blake replied with a smirk. “What’s the name you’re looking for?”

“Cindeshthyaleramathe.”

The Rogue glanced up in perplexion. “How do you spell that? How can you even  _ pronounce _ that?”

Ruby laughed softly before giving her the letters, using the common language. “The other name you might see is Embalytherionyz.”

“Embal…” Blake jerked upright, startled. “Wait. Are those  _ Dragon _ names? That last one sounded a lot like Ember…”

“Yeah, Dragons have really long names they call themselves,” Ruby admitted quietly. “They use shorter, easier names, kinda like nicknames, both for themselves in casual conversation and for non-Dragons to address them. So, Embalytherionyz is Ember, and his mate’s name is Cindeshthyaleramathe. I don’t know her common name, though.”

“Very well, then,” Blake murmured, returning to her perusal of the manuscript once more. She pushed to the back of her head the curiosity over how exactly this alluring brunette knew so very much about Dragons, attributing it to her aforementioned copious reading on the subject.

“I think…” The Rogue narrowed her eyes, scanning a paragraph. “Yes, I see both names, and that of a location… Mountain Glen?”

“Might be a landmark near the lair…” Ruby breathed excitedly. “Does it give directions?”

“Yes, conveniently enough, from Vale itself.”

“ _ Finally _ something goes easy for us!” the brunette exclaimed. “Here, there’s parchment right over… yeah, this’ll do, want me to write them down?”

“I can do it,” Blake replied nonchalantly, taking both parchment and pen from Ruby’s hands. She began to write in small but precise script the directions, not noticing the very wide grin on her companion’s face. Once she was finished, she blew on the paper gently to help dry the ink while reverently rolling the manuscript back up again. Not with some small regret, she placed the scroll back next to the brunette.

“I suppose we have to leave this here?” she asked wistfully.

“Yes, yes we do, my little thief,” Ruby giggled. “It’s not ours to take.”

“But Ruby, do you have  _ any _ idea the amount of lien I could get for that… I know just the right fence too, he’d only take a small cut off the-”

“No, Blakey.”

“Fine,” she pouted, standing up and crossing her arms while Ruby returned the manuscript to its original location. Her mood improved as she watched her companion flounce away, but stilled her visage back into her customary neutrality once she’d turned back around.

“So, I’m kinda surprised you’re so literate,” the brunette started softly as she carefully rolled up the parchment containing their directions. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t think you would be, just… You have really nice penmanship, and the way you could read that…”

“Oh.” Blake glanced down at her feet shyly. “Well, yes, er… I’m actually quite the voracious reader. Learned my letters while growing up on the street, just by… borrowing… books from marketplace vendors.” She shrugged, glancing up to see Ruby regarding her with interest. “It’s one of the things that Adam found useful when he recruited me.”

“Ooooh, now  _ there’s _ a new name,” Ruby giggled. “Sooo… who’s Adam?”

“I’d… rather not get into that. Yet. But, yes, reading and writing has been a bit of a passion of mine, I know it’s unusual in a simple Rogue…”

“Hey.” Blake was once again drawn to those shimmering pools of silver that always seemed to suck her right in. “For one, there’s nothing  _ simple _ about you. And for another…” The brunette grinned, and Blake suddenly noticed the very slight but adorable dimples that formed in her cheeks when she did so. “Well, I think it’s awesome how well-read you are. Yet another attractive quality about you.”

“Oh,” the Cat Faunus breathed, dumbfounded.

“Right, well, let’s get out of here!” Ruby chirped, turning to move towards the exit. “We got what we came for!”

“Right,” Blake repeated softly, once again pushing her confusing feelings and thoughts to the side and following her partner in crime.

As the pair silently slipped out of the library, neither one noticed the softly-glowing rune that lit up above the doorway once they’d exited.

* * *

They almost made a clean escape.

Halfway down the final corridor, however, another maid slipped out of a side room. The young Faunus woman had tawny hair with matching Fox ears and fluffy tail, but she gave them both a respectful nod as she passed. She paused, however, her eyes narrowed at Ruby’s attire.

For her part, Ruby was looking at her just as suspiciously. Or rather, at her decidedly less-skimpy outfit that covered her quite modestly.

The Fox Faunus gave a dismissive sniff as she walked away, nose in the air.

“Blakey?”

“Er… Yes, Ruby?”

“I don’t think I’m wearing an appropriate maid’s outfit.”

“That’s… entirely possible, yes.” Blake prayed that the other girl wouldn’t notice the trail of sweat upon her brow as she worked very hard to keep the charade going.

“In fact… I think this just might be a streetwalker’s outfit.”

“Oh, really?” the Cat Faunus squeaked. “You think so?”

“Yes Blakey, yes I do,” the brunette growled, turning and flouncing furiously down the corridor towards their exit point.

“Oh, well… I suppose I shall have to have a few… irate words with my contact.”

“You do that,” she replied with a snarl. “‘Cause I might just eviscerate him if I see him again.”

Blake nodded amicably as she trailed behind, capturing the visage of her companion’s backside one more time for further reference. Perhaps in a nice dream or two.

_ Worth every lien _ , she thought to herself smugly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blake, you sneaky little Rogue you… So, some more about Dragons has been slipped in, in particular about their names. I see those gears turning, come on now, if you haven’t gotten there already you should be close by now…
> 
> So, I’ve finished with the full outline. As it stands now, so long as I don’t have to break chapters up or merge them, this story should have 37 chapters spread out over 4 volumes. It’s gonna be one hell of a ride, and hopefully by the end you all don't hate me for the rollercoaster of feels.
> 
> I hope you all continue to enjoy the journey, this is the kind of adult gritty fantasy story, with the right amount of fluff and humor, that I’ve always wanted to write. I just hope I manage to give justice to the ideas I’ve laid out.


	14. An Uncomfortable Reunion

**Volume 2**

******City of Vale**

"Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."  
~ unknown

 

Weiss quirked an infinitesimal smile to herself as she sat amongst the fellowship that Ruby had gathered around her. They were a very diverse group of people whom she’d begun to think of as more friends than companions.

Well, and perhaps a bit more than that for one in particular.

She snuck a quick glance at the radiant blonde sitting across from her as was her usual habit now. Yang had a broad smile on her face as she listened to Nora regale them with her latest bar brawl from the previous evening, while Ren would occasionally interject with a correction (“He was a half-Orc, Nora, not an Ogre”) or simply nod in resigned agreement.

The alabaster-haired Elf suddenly found the blonde’s gaze riveted on her, shooting her a quick wink, before rejoining the conversation at the table. Weiss couldn’t help but blush slightly.

_ Son of an Ice Troll… How is it one woman can affect me so strongly? _

The sex was certainly a highlight, but there had been plenty of attraction there first. Still, the Elven Mage would have been content with just gaining her experience in bed, as overwhelmingly delightful as it had been, and then walking away, except for the fact that she’d found herself head-over-heels in love with this boisterous Human.

And honestly, she’d never have believed it even remotely feasible. Granted, she was attracted to… buxom women. But this went far more deeply than the surface attractiveness, even the little things that the blonde did for her seemingly without thought, like how she’d sneak down for breakfast first and have her coffee and oatmeal ready for her. Or the offhand but sweet compliments she’d pay. Or the endearing and heartfelt way she called her  _ gorgeous _ …

But what really drew Weiss in was the intense, arresting  _ focus _ of the blonde. Yang made her feel like she was the center of her universe when she gazed at her, a variety of emotions playing across her brilliant lilac eyes. Warmth, lust, cheerfulness… And yes, even love, if she were not mistaken.

After two nights, Weiss had shyly asked if she could move her belongings into Yang’s room, no longer caring about any sort of propriety. Though she’d worked very hard at keeping her… exclamations of ecstasy far more muted after their first night together.

_ Gods _ , the things that woman could do to her…

As if summoned once more by her thoughts, Yang’s hand drifted across the table to brush up against her arm where it rested. Weiss gave another little smile as she pulled her own hand around to clasp the blonde’s.

_ I went out into the world looking for adventure, and I found love. How did this happen to me? _

She shook her head slowly, tuning back into the conversation as it seemed Nora was beginning to wind down.

“...And since Renny never lets me bring my hammer along…”

“Believe me, that’s experience talking,” Ren interjected quietly to the chuckles of the others.

“So I picked up a barstool,” the orange-haired warrior declared, swinging her arms up and around, narrowly missing smacking an amused Ruby in the face. “And took a running  _ leap _ into the air, bringing it down like the wrath of Oum…”

“That’s actually a pretty accurate description,” her lover smirked.

“And then  _ BOOM _ , all three of them went flying across the bar, slamming into the rear wall!” Nora frowned briefly. “Unfortunately, they broke all the booze. That was a pity.”

“And the main reason why we’re banned from yet another pub,” Ren finished with a sigh.

“So how many does that make?” Ruby asked, her silver eyes twinkling with mirth. “Three?”

“Yep, but not just me an’ Ren!” Nora grinned widely as she glanced down the length of the table. “Let’s not forget blondie!”

Yang chuckled as she shrugged unconcernedly. “Yeah, I joined them two nights ago, wanted to see this little hellion in action. Pretty damn impressive, actually.” She leaned forward and sent a wink towards the Cat Faunus at the other end. “It beat even the brawl we were in, kitten.”

“Somehow I find that terrifying,” the raven-haired Rogue deadpanned as she cut into her lunch of haddock and vegetables.

As Nora launched into the tale of her adventures with the blonde bruiser, Weiss gave her lover an amused glance. “I don’t recall you going out the night before.”

“It was early,” Yang replied with a smirk, taking a pull from her mug of mead. “Had to work off my excess energy, didn’t want to burn you out.”

Weiss groaned at the exaggerated eyebrow wag. “You are such an oaf,” she sighed amusedly.

“So I’ve been told,” Yang replied with another smirk. She turned back towards the end of the table as Nora finished her latest recitation. “So, Ruby. We got everything we need from town now, right? When do we head out?”

The brunette leader of their group nodded her head. “Yep, me an’ Blakey got the directions to where we need to go last night. Let’s get a good night’s rest… meaning no brawls,” she stated with a warning glance at the orange-haired warrior, “and we’ll leave in the morning.”

Weiss and Yang shared a humorous look. “Blakey?” the blonde whispered.

“Is there something going on there?” the white-haired Elf whispered back.

“No,” the Cat Faunus in question stated very clearly from the other end of the table. She shot the pair of them a quick glare before returning to her lunch, the black furred ears atop her head twitching irritably in tune with the prickly flicks of her tail behind her.

While the two of them shared a quiet giggle, the others at the table simply shrugged as they were not privy to the conversation. Except, perhaps, for Ruby, who had a light blush across her cheeks and neck.

“Right!” the brunette exclaimed a bit too loudly. “So we got enough provisions?”

“That we do, sis,” Yang replied genially. “Enough horses including spares, supplies, we’re good. Didn’t think you’d want a wagon, so we’re limited to what our mounts can carry.”

“Yeah, good thinking, Yang. We’re heading into pretty mountainous territory…”

Ruby trailed off as the door to the tavern opened to reveal a quartet of familiar Knights.

“Hey, aren’t those Knights of Artemis, like Pyrrha?” the blonde murmured.

Weiss nodded slightly as the four looked around, immediately moving towards them as soon as they had spotted the group. “They were outside the walls when we entered, and I do believe Pyrrha and Jeanne have been sparring with them. They look decidedly unfriendly right now, however…”

“Lady Nikos, Novitiate D’Arc,” the indigo Elf in front greeted the other members of her Order tersely. “I am searching for two individuals from your party. Blake Belladonna and one known as Ruby.”

“You found them,” the brunette declared softly as she rose, keeping her hands at her sides. “I’m Ruby. What’s this about?”

The Knight dipped her head briefly. “Lady Violetta, at your service, m’lady. Your presence, as well as that of the entirety of your party, is requested for an audience with King Ozpin.”

“I see.” Ruby rested her hands on her hips, glancing over at Blake who was studiously observing her lunch plate. Weiss could tell, however, that the Faunus Rogue was tautly strung, poised to leap into action and with one hand subtly concealed from the Knights currently arrayed between them and the exit.

The brunette looked over at Pyrrha next, who nodded worriedly in return.

“So by  _ request _ , I imagine that means, like, a very polite order,” Ruby clarified quietly as she turned back to regard the head of their escort, her head tilted slightly to the side in consideration.

“You imagine correctly,” Lady Violette replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Hmm.” Ruby gave the woman a quick smirk before gesturing towards the table. She succinctly introduced the others to the Knights, even going so far as to identify Yang as her sister. She introduced Pyrrha and Jeanne last, mentioning offhandedly how she was sure they already knew each other.

The indigo-haired armored woman nodded to each in turn before sweeping her hand behind her. “Lady Dew Gayl, Lady Gwen Darcy, Lady Octavia Ember. And I am Lady Nebula Violette, ranking Knight of the Order of Artemis here in Vale. A pleasure to make your acquaintances.”

“Okay, then!” Ruby exclaimed cheerfully. “Now that we’ve all been introduced, let’s go see the King! Oh,” she interjected, still keeping her voice casual, “I hope there’s no problem with our retaining our arms, is there?”

“No, no problem,” Nebula answered wryly. “But we should be off soon, if you please.”

“Of course, of course,” Ruby nodded. “Would you mind waiting outside? We’ll be out in just a moment.”

The Knight’s olive-colored gaze flickered over towards the redhead seated in the middle of the table. Pyrrha gave another nod, this one more firm and reassuring.

“Very well,” she replied. With a quick bow of her head, indigo tresses briefly swaying, she turned and left with the others.

“Okay,” Ruby began intently. “Gear up. But I want to make this very clear… I want no, and I mean absolutely  _ no _ violence in there, not even if provoked, unless I give the go-ahead. Am I understood?”

She was met by a chorus of affirmatives from around the table, but her gaze rested over at the other end.

Weiss just nodded slowly. “You know I’ll follow your lead, Ruby,” she stated softly.

“Yang?” the brunette questioned.

The blonde in question let out a long-suffering sigh. “Yeah, okay sis. You got it.”

“Okay, thanks, guys. So let’s go, no need to keep our escorts waiting…”

“Hold on,” Yang interjected, reaching into her pouch and signaling to the barmaid. “Lemme settle for the meal… Is this enough?”

The young brunette woman started to nod, but then stopped with a frown. “What is this?” she asked skeptically, pointing towards one odd-looking coin.

“Whoops!” the blonde exclaimed, quickly scooping it up and switching it with another lien piece with the familiar Valesian crest on it. “Sorry, that was an older one, heh heh…”

“Really, Yang?” Ruby deadpanned.

Weiss, though, leaned across towards the blonde woman. “What was that? It looked Elven, and positively ancient…”

“Oh, no, not at all,” Yang chuckled. “Just a… replica. Yeah. So let’s go, then!”

“Somehow they found out,” Blake interjected worriedly as she rose with the others. “About our activity last night. We shouldn’t just be walking back in there, even armed.”

“Relax, Blakey,” Ruby smiled reassuringly. “If we were in trouble, then they’d have just arrested us. You know, like if we’d actually  _ stolen _ anything?”

The Faunus Rogue blushed at that. “Yes, well… That was a  _ really _ valuable manuscript…”

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Yang chuckled as she slung an arm around the raven-haired girl’s shoulders. “Our little kitten tamed so easily by a pretty pair of silver eyes…”

“Yang,” the Cat Faunus growled, shrugging the arm off. “I will eviscerate you.”

“I’ll hold her down for you,” Ruby interjected darkly, walking rapidly ahead as she visibly fought down a blush.

_ Well now, that’s an interesting reaction _ , Weiss grinned to herself as she rested her hand on the hilt of  _ Myrtenaster _ at her side.  _ Perhaps there really  _ is _ something there? _

The party was soon assembled outside where the Knights were waiting for them. The dozen humanoids then headed out, walking up the slight hill towards the center of Vale and the large castle that loomed there.

“Got your back, gorgeous,” Yang murmured in her pointed ear.

“And I you, love,” she replied softly.

While it certainly felt like a casual outing, the procession had a decidedly martial air about it. The Knights Violetta and Gayl strode at the head of the column, while the other pair brought up the rear. Both Pyrrha and Jeanne hung back to walk with the other two, chatting quietly.

Weiss could easily detect the undercurrent of tension in everyone, but she felt herself eminently prepared for whatever this encounter would entail. She’d spent a year in King Ozpin’s court under the tutelage of his High Mage, Glynda Goodwitch. And before that, well…

Suffice to say, she knew how to convey herself with aplomb in a court setting.

She could feel the change come over her the closer they approached to Vale Keep, the large castle dominating the skyline ahead. Her posture drew more erect, chin uplifted, and a regal air of indifference formed on the Elf’s pale face.

She shouldn’t have been surprised, really, when Yang picked up on it immediately.

“You okay, gorgeous?” the blonde whispered just at the edge of her hearing  over the bustle of the surrounding crowds.

Weiss inclined her head once. “Just preparing myself.”

“Right…” Yang hummed to herself softly as they walked. “No need to get so uptight, princess. I thought we worked that outta you last night.”

And there went her composure as she blushed furiously. “Not helping,” she hissed irritably.

“Wasn’t trying to,” her lover smirked in reply.

The Elven Mage rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t keep the small smile off of her face.

Soon enough they reached the castle gates. No guard impeded their progress through the castle grounds or the grand hallway, lined with large, majestic paintings depicting various events of Valesian history.

Nora had been chattering away, quietly for her, when she let out an indignant  _ squawk _ and came to an abrupt halt. The platinum-haired Elf almost ran into her back but managed to pull up short.

“What is it?” she asked cautiously, peering around Ren’s shoulder.

Up ahead, Ruby had stopped their progress, gazing up at one of the paintings on the wall.

“Yang, what is she…?” Weiss trailed off as she turned to view the blonde also riveted in place, peering intently at the same painting. She was startled to note her lilac eyes were now an unwavering crimson.

Curious, the Elf turned to regard the painting herself. It was one she’d admired often, depicting the end of the Dragon War. King Ozpin stood in the foreground, bloodied and battered but with his greatsword held aloft victoriously. Behind him lay the corpse of the mighty Red Dragon, Ember, along with several other Dragon and humanoid corpses.

What drew her eye this time, however, was the presence of two spots of light she’d not really paid attention to before. Clustered near each other, but in the distant background, were another pair of Dragon bodies huddled on the ground. One silver-colored, the other golden. Each one looked almost peaceful, as if they were sleeping rather than having been felled in battle as the other Dragons seemed.

Conversations with Ruby flitted across her memories regarding the War, and how other Dragons stood in opposition to the ancient Red. But she also knew from her history that Ozpin was the only one to walk away from the battlefield, inferring that those Dragons who had helped the humanoid races had perished as well. She supposed those must be two of them, if her memory of Silver and Gold Dragon tendencies served.

“We need to move on,” Lady Violette called out, not impatiently but with an undeniable firmness.

“Right,” Ruby whispered. She gave herself a shake, the stormy grey in her eyes fading back to silver again. “Lead on.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Yang?”

“Yeah,” the blonde whispered hoarsely. “Coming.”

Weiss looked over at her lover in concern, going so far as to grasp her hand as they walked. “Are you alright?” she whispered.

Yang just nodded wordlessly, nameless emotions swirling in her once-more lilac eyes. The Elf made a note to follow up at a later time, as she couldn’t see why the painting would have had such a profound effect on the two girls. Perhaps it was because of their parents? Ruby had mentioned that hers had both died in the War, meaning Yang’s father as well had perished.

Perhaps it was indeed as simple as that, but she would bring it up at some other opportunity.

Now, though, they were in front of the grand doors leading to the audience chamber. Without preamble the heavily armored members of the Royal Guard stepped aside, opening the door for the procession.

The hall was as grand as the first time she’d been there, with the colorful banners of the various families that made up the initial coalition of the Kingdom of Vale, interspersed with the dark green Valesian banner, lining the walls and balconies along each side. At the end of the hall was a raised dais where King Ozpin sat, clad in his dark green robes. Behind him was the royal banner of Vale, and at his shoulder as usual was Mage Glynda.

She noted idly that the sides of the hall had more Royal Guardsmen than usual, likely as a precaution from the heavily-armed visitors, even as vetted by the Knights of Artemis as they were.

“Lady Violette,” Ozpin called out as they approached, his voice as unruffled and level as always. “I thank you for bringing these good people before me.”

“It was my pleasure, Your Majesty,” the purple-haired Elf replied with a bow. “Can the Knights be of any further assistance?”

“I would appreciate your presence during these proceedings, yes,” Ozpin replied. 

The four Knights bowed and stepped aside, while the other eight all gave appropriate bows themselves. Even Nora, Weiss humorously noted, though the orange-haired fiery warrior looked incredibly awkward doing so.

“I’m sure you all know who I am,” Ozpin began with a regal nod of his head, his eyes focused on Ruby. “Behind me is my Royal Mage, Glynda Goodwitch. I appreciate your meeting with me on such short notice.”

“It was not an imposition, Your Majesty,” Ruby stated softly.

Ozpin opened his mouth to continue but closed it at a commotion from the side.

“I do apologize for the interruption, Ozpin,” a male voice called out. “But our ship departs on the tide, and I wanted to offer my thanks one more time for your hospitality.”

“Of course, James,” the King smiled at the tall and imposing man who strode forward. He had dark hair, greying at the temples, and walked with a military manner as he approached Ozpin with his arm outstretched.

Weiss watched the grey-suited man with a mixture of shock and dread. She knew him all too well.

King Ironwood of Atlas.

And where the King of Atlas went, inevitably followed…

She couldn’t duck behind Yang quite fast enough to avoid the notice of the white-haired Elf who followed in Ironwood’s wake. She had her hair up in a bun save for her bangs which swept across the right side of her face and with a single strand tucked behind her pointed left ear. Her pale blue eyes widened as she caught sight of Weiss, and she immediately turned and strode over towards the group, white robes swishing around her feet.

“Weiss?” she barked out accusingly.

Yang glanced over her shoulder at her cowering lover. “Um, y’know, she kinda looks like you.”

“Yes, Yang,” she sighed resignedly. “Yes, she does.” With a resolute shake of her head, she stepped out from behind the blonde brawler, squaring her shoulders and trying to conceal the nervous tremble in her limbs. “Hello Winter, it’s been awhile.”

“Awhile?” the other woman repeated incredulously. “ _ Awhile?!? _ ”

“Mage Winter, do you know this girl?” King Ironwood asked curiously once his handshake with the other King was complete. “Is she kin?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Winter gritted out. “She is my sister.”

_ Don’t say it, please Winter in the name of everything we once held dear, please don’t… _

“And she is a runaway,” Winter finished with an angry glint in her eyes.

_ Oh, fuck me sideways with a broadsword… _

“Weiss?” Yang questioned softly.

She could only hang her head dejected for a brief moment before bringing it up again, her jaw set. “I am of majority age now, sister, and what I am involved in now-”

“Matters not,” Winter interrupted firmly. “You broke with the Elders, and are to be returned to them forthwith.”

“But-”

“Come along now,” her older sister ordered. “Do not make a scene.”

“No, she’s not going anywhere.”

Weiss turned in shock at the voice. Ruby calmly walked forward and interposed herself in between Weiss and Winter. 

“Excuse me?” the elder Mage asked incredulously. “Do you know who I am?”

“Yep.”

Winter had a moment where her composure left her completely, and she could only stand there, in the middle of a foreign nation’s court, with her mouth agape. It was then that Weiss noticed the others in the fellowship close around her supportively. Yang took a step forward, clasping her hand while pulling her slightly behind her once more.

“Ozpin, I realize these may be your subjects, but I cannot allow this affront to stand,” Ironwood interjected mildly. “If this Elven girl is a runaway, she must be returned.”

“She can’t leave,” Ruby declared adamantly, following up with a belated, “...Your Majesties. Her assistance is invaluable in our current quest, which is of the utmost concern to the Kingdom of Vale.”

Glynda, who had been quiet up to that point, raised a blonde eyebrow skeptically. “That is quite the claim.”

“It is the truth,” the brunette maintained.

King Ozpin cleared his throat, his gaze still focused on the brash girl with red-tipped hair. “James, Mage Winter… A word, please?”

Winter finally snapped her mouth shut and whirled on her heel, following her liege over and into a side chamber where Ozpin had requested.

Choking back a sob, Weiss looked about her wildly. “Please… You can’t all get in trouble over this, I should… I should just go with them.”

“Nope,” Ruby replied softly as she turned to regard her with a smile. “Though, I think you maybe owe us the truth about this, since we’re all sticking up for you. Which we’re gonna do anyways, but still.”

Weiss nodded hesitantly, though the reassuring hand squeeze by Yang gave her a little more confidence as she took a deep, steadying breath.

“What she said is correct,” the platinum-haired Elf stated quietly, her eyes riveted on the floor. “I should have remained in Evereska, the Elders had expected me to stay there due to my skill and potential… Even though I had not yet reached majority, the thought of spending a lifetime not being able to explore the world and…” She glanced up shyly at Yang. “...And meet other peoples… So, yes, I ran away from the hinterlands, forged my papers to study under Mage Glynda for a year’s time…” She sighed, looking up at her first real friend she’d ever made. “And then met you, Ruby.”

The brunette girl grinned at her, grabbing her free hand and giving it a squeeze. “And I’m very glad we did meet. You’re part of this fellowship, and nobody’s taking you away. We’re in this til the end, right?”

“Right,” Weiss replied with an answering though tremulous smile.

Just then the side chambers opened, and a visibly seething Winter stalked out. Without another glance at the party, she strode from the hall ahead of a rather bemused-looking King Ironwood.

“M’lady,” King Ozpin called out next, still standing in the doorway to the chambers but with his gaze once again firmly affixed on Ruby. “Might I have a word with you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the brunette replied, but she paused after only a single step. “Um… Should my sister join us?”

“Sister?” Ozpin queried. He nodded when Yang raised a hesitant hand. “Yes, I see… Please do join us as well.”

Glynda exited the side chamber, closing the door behind her on the King of Vale and the two sisters. She walked briskly over, giving Weiss a stern glance. “At a later date we will discuss the curious state of your letter of referral, Miss Schnee,” she stated, causing the Elf to cringe slightly. “But for now, please do have a seat, all of you. Refreshments can be brought out.”

“No, thank you, we are fine,” Pyrrha assured her as they settled onto several benches across the way.

Once Glynda had departed, Nora leaned over with a grin. “Wow, Weiss, I had no idea you were such a bad girl. Sneaking away from home? Gotta say, I’m impressed.”

Weiss blushed lightly over the snickers of the others.

“I suppose we’ll need to keep an eye on her now,” Jeanne commented lightly.

“Very true,” Pyrrha conceded. “Now that we know what a troublemaker she is.”

“Just so long as you do not engage in bar brawls with Nora,” Ren stated, a small smirk on his face.

“Oh, hush, all of you,” Weiss grumbled lightly, though she wore an uncharacteristically broad smile on her face. “And… thank you all for standing with me.”

“Well, of course we would, silly,” the orange-haired warrior giggled, bringing her into a one-armed hug. “You're our friend.”

_ And isn’t this just completely unexpected in my life… A group of friends willing to stand up for me, against a King, no less. _ Weiss sighed softly, still wearing her smile as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, worn out from the earlier tension.  _ How did I get so lucky? _

“What do you suppose they’re discussing in there?” Jeanne asked quietly after a few moments. Weiss opened her eyes to see the blonde warrior glance aside at Pyrrha, but the redheaded Knight was conversing softly with Lady Violetta on the far end of their bench.

“Likely the ramifications of keeping Weiss with us,” Ren opined. “We might owe a favor.”

“Ooooh, maybe we get to kill some more beasties,” Nora giggled excitedly. 

Weiss, though, frowned at the notion. “I don’t want to be responsible for… Wait. Where’s Blake? Hasn’t she been with us this whole time?”

“I’m here,” a soft voice called from the shadows behind them. The other four turned to regard the Faunus Rogue, who gave them a bashful shrug from where she stood among the concealing darkness. “I don’t do well in these sorts of settings.”

“Oh,” the platinum-haired Elf replied, perplexed. “Er… How long have you been back there?”

“Since we arrived.”

“I see.”

“I didn’t jump out to support you when the others did,” Blake continued, staring down at the floor with a slight grimace. “But, I was ready to toss a knife at your sister if she’d started anything. Er, so long as Ruby said it was okay, of course.”

“Um… Thank you?” Weiss truly didn’t know what to say to that.

“You’re welcome,” Blake replied with a small smile, ducking her head slightly. Her Faunus ears picked up, swiveling towards the other side of the hall. “I think they’re about to return.”

The fellowship, sans Blake, stood up and moved back towards the center of the room as the door to the side chamber opened once more. Ruby and Yang walked out, preceding the King. The sisters paused and gave him a deep bow, seemingly of gratitude, before heading over to rejoin their companions.

Weiss opened her mouth to question the two, but before she could King Ozpin began to speak.

“Lady Violetta, I know you have tasks within the city, but the Kingdom would be eternally grateful if you and your Knights would join with these good people on their journey to the west.”

Just about everybody in the room, save for Ruby and Yang, stared at each other in surprise.

“Er, of course, Your Majesty,” Nebula finally managed. She turned towards a rather smug-looking Ruby. “When do we depart?”

“In the morning,” Ruby replied with a grin. “Can you meet us at the tavern by sunrise?”

“Yes, certainly. Until then.” She and her three sister Knights bowed first to King Ozpin and then to Ruby before striding from the castle to make their own preparations.

“What just happened?” Weiss whispered. “How did…?”

“Not right now,” the brunette whispered back. In a louder tone of voice, she turned back to the King. “Was there anything else, Your Majesty?”

“No indeed. Gods be with you all on your journey.”

The group made another bow before turning and following in the Knights footsteps. Yang hung back to capture Weiss’ hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, before she tossed out over her shoulder, “Coming, kitten? Or do you still feel like lurking about?”

Blake strode from the shadows at the edge of the hall, startling several of the Royal Guardsmen stationed there. “You live to irritate me, don’t you, Yang?” she muttered. “And I don’t  _ lurk _ .”

“Whatever you say, kitty cat,” the blonde chortled good-naturedly.

As they departed, none of the group noticed a set of burning orange orbs that stared down from the darkness of one of the encircling balconies.

* * *

Cinder stalked worriedly through the hallway, irritably fingering the bracelet that encircled her left wrist. It was an ancient talisman, one that she had found to be immeasurably useful in concealing herself from others of her kind. Right now, however, her mind was awhirl with what she’d overheard.

She slammed open the door to her chambers, smiling widely as she noted exactly who she needed to see standing there in the center of the room.

“Neo,” she purred in satisfaction. “I have a task for you.”

The small, multicolored girl tilted her head to the side consideringly. She blinked her eyes, the heterochromatic pink and brown switching sides.

“Yes, there should be plenty of killing for you,” the raven-haired woman reassured her, waving away the unspoken question as she sat on the edge of her bed. “There is a party of humanoids, led by two of our kind. One is a Gold by the name of Yang, while the other is an unknown Silver. I have reason to believe they’re on the way to plunder my hoard.” She allowed the smile to turn into a cruel smirk. “Meet them there and eliminate every last one, beginning with the Silver and Gold. Will that be enough of a slaughter for you, those two plus perhaps another ten others?”

Neo tilted her head in the other direction, regarding her solemnly for a moment before her face split into a too-wide grin. She then bowed, somehow conveying a sense of sarcasm to it as she did so, and turned to leave.

“Is that a yes?” Cinder called out, halting the small woman in her tracks. “I need to hear it from you, Neo.”

The multicolored woman sighed in exasperation before turning back. A voice issued from her delicate-looking throat, low as rocks rumbling but with an overtone of a melodic girl’s voice, like two people speaking at once. 

Cinder smirked at her once again. “Still won’t deign to speak the common tongue? Fine, I thank you for taking care of this.”

Shrugging unconcernedly, Neo turned and finally left the Royal Councilor’s chambers, closing the door behind her. 

It opened once more soon thereafter to reveal Emerald and Mercury, the former now fully healed up. The pair of them shuddered briefly as they entered the room. 

“Ugh, what did you need  _ her _ for?” Mercury complained, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. 

“She’s taking care of something for me,” Cinder replied evenly. “Consider it a last resort in case you fail me.”

“We wouldn’t,” the mint-haired girl hastened to assure her.

Mercury just nodded, still unsettled after brushing past Neo. “You can smell the crazy coming off of her,” he muttered, glancing back at the doorway. “I mean, there’s a reason her kind were hunted down.”

“She is useful to me,” the raven-haired woman replied, brushing off his concern. “You just need to know how to deal with her and keep her interest.”

“What did you need us for, My Lady?” Emerald interjected excitedly. “You mentioned a task for us?”

“Yes,” Cinder responded, her smirk widening as her voice dropped into a throaty growl. “I need for the two of you to gather up some allies for a… surprise party, of sorts. Here is what I require…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if y’all pay attention to the Dragon quotes I put up at the top… I have an entire sheet of them, enough for the whole story. Sometimes they’re relevant to the chapter itself, other times not. 
> 
> So I think by now folks have figured out who Cinder is, yes? Now, whatever could Neo be… Also, now we have Weiss’ secret revealed. Let’s see, that gives us Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, and Jeanne with their secrets revealed. Four down, four to go. Oh, and if you’re thinking you already know Ruby and Yang’s… Well, not quite. That isn’t their secret. And only one of them knows what both secrets are. (Oooh, how mysterious…)
> 
> Credit to kaiju62 for the idea with the coin, I love the idea of someone like Yang forgetting which coins should be used…


	15. Debts Paid

**Volume 2**

******Kingdom of Vale,  
** **Western Outskirts**

“True Dragons are among the Universe's most perfect beings. This is a useful bit of information. Squirrel it away like a nugget of Fafnir's gold; take it out and burnish it now and then as we proceed.”  
~ Shawn MacKenzie

 

The dozen adventurers set out early the next morning at a rather lackadaisical pace, one which was immediately commented upon by several of the newer fellowship members. 

“Why in the name of Oum are we moving so slow?” Nebula asked Ruby somewhat crossly.

The brunette leader of their expedition shrugged unconcernedly. “My horse is slow.”

From the other side of the diminutive girl, Blake hid her grin at the purple-haired Knight’s obvious exasperation, her Faunus tail wrapped around her waist but the tip still flicking with humor.

“And why, pray tell, is your horse so slow?” the armored woman asked with slow and careful enunciation.

“Oh, well, I don’t get along well with horses. So, I have to ride one that’s pretty tame, y’know?” Ruby gave her a guileless smile.

“I… see.”

“So what’s the plan, Ruby?” Yang called out humorously, evidently having picked up on the exchange as well. “Just travel as far as we can every night, camp out in the woods?”

“That’s the plan,” Ruby replied over her shoulder with a nod. “Shouldn’t be any settlements or taverns or the like between here and our goal, so we’ll make camp when we need to.”

“About that,” Nebula began hesitantly. “If I may ask… what exactly is our goal?”

Ruby gave the Knight a sideways glance. “Pyrrha didn’t mention it?”

“I did not bring it up with Lady Nikos, no. We are here at your pleasure, if you wish to inform us of our objective that is your prerogative.”

“You Knights are such a polite lot,” the brunette giggled. “Want me to let everyone know at once?”

“If it pleases you, m’lady.”

“None of that now, just Ruby.” The silver-eyed girl gave Blake an amused look and a matching grin. “You okay taking the lead, Blakey?”

The Cat Faunus grinned back, finding it easier to hide her blush when interacting with the effervescent Human girl. “I won’t get us lost.”

“Didn’t think you would,” Ruby murmured, giving her a quick wink before bringing her horse to a halt alongside Nebula and Dew to wait for the other pair of Valesian Knights at the rear.

This time, she did let a faint hint of a blush escape.

And, of course, it was noticed.

Her Faunus ears twitched as Yang eased her horse alongside hers. When she spoke up, there was no need to look her direction to know how wide a smile she bore, it was evident in her voice.

“ _ Sooo _ , kitten… You and Ruby, huh?”

“No, Yang,” the Rogue sighed. “There is nothing going on there.”

“ _ Suuure _ there isn’t… or at least, not yet.” The blonde brawler leaned over from her horse to give her arm a nudge. “But you wish there  _ was _ something there, right?”

“No, Yang,” she repeated levelly.

Much to her irritation, Weiss moved her horse up on the other side of her.  _ Wonderful. _

“I’m not entirely convinced there, Yang,” the platinum-haired Elf stated humorously.

“I do believe you’re right, Weiss,” the blonde replied, her own voice still full of merriment.

“How nice,” Blake sighed. “Now I have the both of you to irritate me.”

She kicked her horse into a slight trot to outpace the snickering duo, shaking her head in resignation of a very long journey ahead of her.

* * *

They made it most of the day, perhaps an hour or two from setting up camp for the night, when they came across their first violent encounter in the dense forest.

The path they were on, if one could call the ancient, overgrown game trail as such, had twisted and wound its way through the dense foliage for some time now. The column came to a halt after the next bend as Blake found something odd blocking their path up ahead.

“Is that…” Dew, pushing her long dark blonde hair to the side, peered ahead uncertainly. “Is that a really big man on a horse?”

“Not quite,” Blake murmured at her side. “It’s a Centaur.”

“ _ Annnd _ he looks drunk,” Ruby mentioned nonchalantly.

“And this would be bad?” the Knight queried.

“Well…” Blake sighed uncertainly. “They’re known to be more violent when drunk, but not necessarily as immediately belligerent. So long as we don’t provoke him-”

“Oi, you lot!” the Centaur suddenly roared. “What the fuck are you doin’ in my forest?”

“Never mind,” the Faunus Rogue sighed once more.

“Just passing through, friend!” Ruby called out cheerfully. “We’re causing no harm to the forest, nor are we here to threaten anyone!”

Several snarled words issued from the Centaur’s throat next, incomprehensible to Blake. It didn’t sound friendly, though.

“Oh, well now, that’s just uncalled for,” Ruby snickered. “I mean, I don’t even think that’s anatomically possible.”

“You speak Centaur as well?” Blake asked humorously. It was only one Centaur, after all, against the dozen of them. She wasn’t overly concerned.

“Understand, yes. Speak, no. We should go around him before he calls in some friends.”

“Yeah…. no.” Yang moved her horse next to Ruby and dismounted. “Be easier just going through him.”

“Yang… we’re keeping a low profile, remember?” Ruby whispered harshly, leaving Blake to wonder as to her meaning.

“I know, I know,” the blonde called back dismissively, waving her hand over her shoulder. The unarmed and unarmored brawler rolled her shoulders as she walked and flexed her biceps. She opened her mouth and roared out some more of the same incomprehensible language.

“And apparently Yang can speak it just fine,” Ruby sighed. 

“Do I want to know what she said?” the raven-haired girl asked humorously.

“No, you really don’t.”

“Somehow I figured that.”

With a fierce cry, the Centaur charged, sword leveled at the blonde in his path. As he raced at her, Yang neatly sidestepped and delivered a shattering blow to his flank, crushing his arm and even caving in half of his torso. The creature was dead before it skidded to a halt.

“I’ll be Oum-bloody-damned,” Dew gasped at the display.

Ren cleared his throat gently from behind. “Language, please. And should I check on that?”

“No, no need… though…” Ruby cocked her head to the side and listened intently. “Yeah, that figures.” She turned in her saddle, raising her voice. “Prepare for combat, we have incoming!”

Blake pulled her bow from the saddle sheath and tugged the quiver of arrows over her head. “Centaurs?” The rumble was like that of distant thunder, growing louder by the second.

“Mostly, yeah, and a bunch of ‘em.”

“Right.” Blake hopped up to stand on the saddle before leaping onto a branch overhead. She quickly scrambled further up, readying an arrow as the others below her got ready.

It didn’t take long for a massive form to come hurtling out of the dense forest edge. Blake sent an arrow into its hide, but it was quite likely that the Centaur, twice the size of the first one, hardly even noticed it. He hefted a massive spear as he bore down on the end of the line, but was halted right in his tracks as he met the business end of Nora’s even more massive warhammer. There was a loud  _ squelch _ as half of his lower horse-like torso was torn away, and as he plunged into the dirt the orange-haired warrior spun and delivered the fatal blow to the back of his head.

The next Centaur, through, Blake managed to catch in his throat, but more and more began to appear. She rained arrows down, keeping her shots tight and focused.

With a loud battle cry, several of the Knights initiated a charge of their own to break up the incoming Centaurs, even though they were dwarfed by their opponents. The lances wielded by Pyrrha, Nebula, and Octavia proved to be a greater advantage, however, as their longer reach would impale their opponent before they could strike back.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ruby spinning among the attacking creatures, and she quickly tracked the brunette to get a good look at the darkly-flaming warscythe. It was indeed as impressive as Nora had made it out to be, though she was perfectly happy to observe it from up here.

Several Centaur stumbled to a halt as they tried to catch up with the nimble brunette, skewered by numerous ice spikes that sprouted from the ground in front of them, presumably courtesy of Weiss.

Blake spared a glance down to the other end where Yang had ended up, searching for the flash of bright golden hair to see if she was still alright. What she saw took her breath away, as the blonde caught a charging Centaur by his forearms and effortlessly lifted him over her head, only to slam him into the ground, crushing his bones into pulp.

“Gods,” she breathed. The Faunus Rogue didn’t have much time for introspection, however, as the tree she was on shook from an impact. Glancing over, she saw what looked to be an armed man standing there menacingly, only he had the lower half of an upright goat.

_ Shit, and now we have Satyrs... _

She nimbly flipped backwards off of the branch, firing an arrow at the lunging Satyr while suspended mid-air and upside-down. It caught him in the eye, dropping him to the forest floor as she herself landed in a wary crouch, her tail out straight behind her for balance.

The raven-haired girl was immediately forced to leap aside to avoid being crushed by a rampaging set of hooves, unable to even get an arrow off as she whirled about, dodging frantically.

And then there was a flash of red, and the Centaur toppled bonelessly to the side. Ruby was there, grinning at her widely.

“Okay?” the brunette called out. Blake replied with a grateful nod before they separated, Ruby to soar overhead with her dangerous cleaving weapon trailing black fire behind her, and Blake to seek some cover to snipe from.

She saw Jeanne defending herself furiously against a pair of Satyrs, her shield and sword flashing out to catch each sword thrust of her opponents. Blake was quick to even the odds, nailing one of them with an arrow to the back of his disjointed knee, causing him to stumble. The blonde squire took immediate advantage of this, skewering the one still on his feet with a deft twist of her blade through his guard, before turning to finish off the wounded one. Their eyes met briefly and shared a grin before moving off once more.

The rest of the battle passed in a blur of rampaging hooves and flashing blades. Blake ended up back-to-back with Pyrrha, the armored warrior dismounted now and fighting with her sword and shield. The Cat Faunus stood firm, sending out arrow after arrow into any enemy who lumbered into range. Dimly she registered the fact that she’d need to find her horse again to retrieve her other quiver if this continued much longer.

Fortunately, though, with two arrows left a sudden hush fell over the forest, broken only by the harsh breathing of herself and her companion.

“Are you well?” the redhead panted, her emerald eyes roaming the woods.

“I am,” Blake answered levelly. “You?”

“Uninjured. We should look for the others.”

“Agreed.”

Nora wasn’t too difficult to find, her excited war whoops piercing the veil of quiet as she celebrated. Ren was next to her, crouched over Gwen as he healed her leg, while Octavia and Jeanne stood watch over them.

“Jeanne,” Pyrrha breathed, perking Blake’s Faunus ears up. She had observed a good deal of familiarity between the Knight and her squire, but also discerned an undercurrent of affection above and beyond that of their mentorship. She made a mental note to ask Ruby about it later, but for now, it was a little amusing to watch the pair dance around each other verbally as they assuaged each other’s well-being after the fight. It would seem that the other Knights weren’t oblivious in the least, as they shared a brief glance accompanied by a poorly-concealed smirk behind their backs.

Blake approached the orange-haired warrior as she did an odd sort of victory dance. “Er, Nora? Would you like to call the others in?”

“You betcha!” the diminutive hammer-wielder chirped. She braced her feet apart and held her hands up to her mouth. “RALLY ON ME!” she bellowed.

“That should do it, thanks,” Blake sighed, massaging her ringing furry ears on top of her head.

Ruby was the first to show up and surprised the Rogue with a quick hug. “You okay?” the brunette asked as she leaned back, gazing at her probingly. 

“Fine,” Blake murmured back. “You?”

“Yep, I’m good.”

“Good.”

They stood there for a few moments with their arms around each other, staring into each other's eyes intently, before Pyrrha cleared her throat gently next to them.

“Not that anyone here minds in the least,” the redhead began humorously. “But if you are in that same position when Yang arrives, I expect the teasing to be fierce and merciless.”

The two of them leapt out of each other’s embrace, both blushing furiously.

“Right, right,” Ruby declared loudly. “So, how’s everyone? Any wounded, Ren?”

“Only Lady Darcy, a leg wound which I already healed,” the raven-haired Cleric replied mildly. “Nobody else has shown up yet.”

Others began trickling in, all unwounded though they brought with them a depressingly few amount of horses. Nebula and Dew remained mounted on their warhorses, while Weiss and Yang towed along two of each, including Blake’s, much to her relief.

“So,” Ruby sighed at the assembled fellowship. “The obvious good news is that there are no fatalities or serious injuries. But… we have six horses between the twelve of us.”

“We could trade off?” Jeanne proposed hesitantly.

“I think that’d be our best bet, yeah. Except for Gwen, who needs to rest her leg, and Weiss, who should keep her stamina high as she tends to drain the fastest with her magic use.”

The platinum-haired Mage looked as if she might object, which made Blake’s estimation of her rise a bit, but Yang elbowed her in the side and whispered quickly into her pointed ear.

“Yang and I don’t need to ride, we can just walk,” Ruby continued. “And I can’t ride any of them anyways. Let’s take some time to find any of the horses that were slain, gather up our supplies. Blake, you want to help me search bodies?”

The Faunus Rogue nodded easily, ignoring the subtle looks of distaste from the Knights.  _ It’s not a glamorous job, but one that should be done anyway. Never know what trinkets might be found. _

* * *

As it turned out, there were a goodly number of baubles and coin on the Centaurs and Satyrs, as well as more than a few potions. Weiss was able to identify the more useful of those, Healing and Stamina Restoration and the like. There was one potion of Strength, which Weiss immediately handed over to Nora, much to her joy, and another of Aura Regeneration, which she slipped into her own pouch. Ren claimed a sickly-green-looking liquid which Weiss assured him was a potion to neutralize many poisons.

As they trekked along the path, cognizant of the fact that they wouldn’t be making much more progress tonight, Blake strode alongside Ruby’s side, eyeing the gleaming dagger in the brunette’s hands.

“Picked up a new toy?” the raven-haired Rogue asked humorously.

“Well…” Ruby mused, turning it over in her hands. “It’s only a minor enchantment, but I suppose it’s better than not having anything that… Yeah, okay.” She seemed to come to a decision, and handed it over to Blake, hilt-first. “It’s not much, but at least you can defend yourself with it at close-range, right?”

“Er… right,” Blake murmured, accepting the gift and tucking it into her belt. “Thank you.”

“Well, I’m still gonna work on enchanting  _ Gambol Shroud _ for you tonight. I managed to retrieve all of my supplies. Hey, your arrows… do you make them yourself?”

“Most of them, yes,” Blake replied, reaching back to touch the feathered shafts over her shoulder. “I tend to supplement with bought ones, but they’re usually of poorer quality.”

“Gotcha. And how many did you retrieve?”

“About half a quiver.”

“Okay… So while I’m working, see if you can’t fletch a few more, the enchantment I’m going to place will work best if the arrows are made by your hand.”

Blake nodded wordlessly, her mind running through what fletching supplies she had brought along, deciding that she could perhaps create another quiver’s worth.

An hour later they had camp set up. Half of the Knights volunteered for first watch while Ren and Nora cooked up dinner for everyone.

Ruby, after making sure everyone was settled well enough, situated herself up against a tree trunk on the edge of camp. She sat cross-legged with her knapsack at her side and several items spread out before her, including a scroll that she was reading intently.

The Cat Faunus quietly walked up to her, taking her time while watching how focused the brunette was on what she was reading, the tip of her small, pink tongue poking out from between her lips in concentration.  _ Gods, she is adorable. _ She gave herself a quick shake to dispel the unwanted thought, gracefully dropping into an identical pose across from Ruby.

The other girl’s silver eyes snapped up, immediately crinkling in pleasure at her company.  _ I will not blush, I will not blush… _

“Is there anything you require from me, besides… this?” She handed her Duskwood bow over to the brunette. She was slightly surprised at the amount of reverence Ruby displayed as she handled it, turning it over in her hands and making soft little noises of appreciation at the scrolling runework carved into the bow.

“There’s one thing…” Ruby murmured as she easily unstrung the bow, setting the string aside next to her. “I’m going to need a hair from you, not cut but rather with the root attached.”

“Okay,” Blake shrugged. She complied, pulling on a strand and plucking it out before setting it in the brunette’s hands. “How long with this take you?”

“Oh, all night,” Ruby replied unconcernedly.

“What?”

“Really, it’s not a problem.” The shorter girl smiled guilelessly at her. “Done it plenty of times before.”

Blake nodded slowly. “Very well… Er, is it alright if I stand watch over you while you work? I can do my fletching and still keep you safe…”

Ruby blinked her wide silver eyes at her. “I would like that,” she stated softly, a faint pink dusting her cheeks.

“Okay,” she murmured, turning away in embarrassment. She snuck a peek over her shoulder as she went to get her supplies, and was surprised to see the girl pluck one of her own red-tipped hairs and add it to Blake’s in her hands. Shrugging, she grabbed what she needed and got herself set up against a neighboring tree not five feet away.

The diminutive girl didn’t make any further conversation as she read a few words aloud from the scroll, words that seemed to linger in her mind as fleeting as a summer storm before wisping away. Then she rested her hands on the bow, eyes closed and back erect, mumbling more words under her breath that were too soft for even her Faunus senses to catch.

Ren stopped by with dinner, quietly asking if he should disturb Ruby, but she waved him off. The Rogue paused in her fletching preparations to wolf down the tasty stew. It wasn’t seafood, but quite pleasurable nonetheless.

A half hour later, and six arrows in, Yang plopped inelegantly next to her, careful not to jostle her elbow.

“How’s it going?” the blonde asked softly.

“Well,” Blake replied neutrally, showing her efforts so far. Yang just grunted but then indicated her sister with her head for further clarification. The Cat Faunus sighed and shook her head.

“I have no idea what she’s doing, but so far so good, I suppose.”

Yang nodded, content to lean her head back against the tree and observe the brunette openly. The Rogue gave up on her efforts for the time being and did the same.

“Yang,” she began hesitantly. “What was it you talked about with King Ozpin? Why was he so eager to help us?”

The blonde worried at her bottom lip for a moment, displaying an uncharacteristic reluctance. “Did Ruby mention anything?” she finally asked.

“No, she keeps avoiding the subject.”

“Well… Okay, I can’t go into the specifics, but… The King, he knew my dad. And Ruby’s mom.”

Blake nodded slowly. “And that was sufficient to obtain his assistance?”

“He knew them really well,” Yang clarified. “So, yeah, he felt obligated to help.”

“Very well,” Blake sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get any more out of the unusually recalcitrant woman.

“Right, then,” Yang grunted, levering herself to her feet. “I got me a certain Elf who’s keeping my bedroll warm, don’t wanna leave her waiting too long.”

Blake snorted humorously, waving her off as she sauntered deeper into the woods. The Faunus woman supposed there was no harm in the two of them sleeping outside the camp edge, the both of them could hear anything coming up to them and could easily handle themselves.

She settled back against the tree, unwilling to resume her fletching just yet. Instead, she watched the annoyingly attractive brunette, her mind’s eye reminiscing upon the maid’s outfit that she’d tricked the shorter girl into wearing in the castle. A small grin formed on her lips and an involuntary purr rumbled through her chest at the memory.

“I know what you’re thinking about,” a playful, sing-song voice whispered from behind her.

The Cat Faunus gave a startled  _ squawk _ as she gracelessly spun around in her seated position. Twinkling turquoise eyes looked back at her.

“Nora,” she hissed. “What are you… I mean… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she finished weakly.

“Uh-huh,” the orange-haired warrior smirked, hopping down next to her and leaning against her shoulder. “You were purring.”

“I wasn’t-”

“While looking at Ruby.”

“That doesn’t mean-”

“And you had a  _ really _ sappy grin on your face while doin’ it.” Nora giggled as she nudged the raven-haired woman. “You got it bad for her, don’tcha?”

“I…” Blake sighed, staring down at her hands. “Yes... yes I do.” She turned her own amber eyes upon her companion fiercely. “Not a word of this to anyone!”

“No worries, Blake, your secret’s safe with me,” she snickered. “So when are you gonna make a move?”

“I don’t… Does she even like girls?”

Nora clapped her hands over her mouth, laughing silently and allowing tears of mirth to freely flow over her cheeks. Blake just sighed indulgently as she waited for the hammer-wielder to calm down, mindlessly working on another arrow as she did so.

“Okay,” Nora eventually wheezed. “So… yeah, I can definitely say she likes girls.”

“How do you know?”

“Hmm... Nope, can’t tell you. Another secret, okay? But yeah, totally into girls. And, like, not the way Yang likes everyone, I mean she’s exclusively into girls. More like Weiss.”

Blake blinked her eyes uncertainly, almost dropping the arrow she was working on. “I… see. That was disturbingly comprehensive.”

“I aim to please!” Nora giggled. “Seriously, though, when you gonna ask her?”

“Perhaps…” Blake set the completed arrow down, glancing up again at Ruby to make sure she was still heavily engaged in her enchanting. “Perhaps when this is over and the Orb returned to Vale,” she whispered.

“That long?”

“Yes, I don’t… I don’t want to complicate things. Even if…” Blake’s head dropped, her raven tresses hiding her face. “Even if there’s a chance… I can wait.”

“Hmm.” Nora got to her feet, but bent down over Blake, tipping her head back and boring her intense turquoise orbs into her. “But can she?”

With that, the orange-haired girl skipped away, calling out for Ren to hurry up with the dishes so they could “...hit the sack, if you know what I mean.”

Blake managed to finish the arrows that she had materiels for, bundling them into her quiver and taking the purchased ones aside. Those she began to disassemble, keeping the arrow heads and fletching if they were of a good enough quality, but discarding the generally inferior shafts.

Her eyes rested upon Ruby the whole while, her mind awhirl with conflicting thoughts, emotions, and desires.

* * *

Morning dawned bright and early. Blake had taken a shift with Weiss in the middle of the night, their enhanced night vision allowing the pair a better chance of detecting any approaching threats. For all that, though, the night passed without incident. Blake even managed to grab a few hours of sleep while Yang took her spot at the tree to watch over her sister.

When the Cat Faunus awoke, it was to a gentle nudging. A pair of sparkling silver eyes peered at her as she cracked her own amber orbs open. The brunette looked disturbingly awake for someone who didn’t sleep at all the night prior.

“Wakey wakey, Blakey!” the shorter girl giggled. “C’mon, I got something to show you!”

Groaning, the raven-haired girl dragged herself out from under her bedroll. A few others were up already, blearily walking around and gathering their wits.

By the time Ruby had dragged her to the other side of the camp where the pathway lay, most of them had gathered around curiously.

The brunette reached behind a tree trunk and withdrew  _ Gambol Shroud _ , as well as her new quiver of arrows. Blake accepted the bow gratefully, running her hands along the smooth, dark surface. It seemed to resonate slightly, like a tingly feeling where her fingertips caressed the wood.

“Yep, she recognizes you,” Ruby giggled from her side. “You can feel it, right?”

Blake just nodded wordlessly, her eyes wide with wonderment at the feeling of, well…  _ life _ within her previously inert bow.

“Okay, so here’s what we do,” Ruby began in a firm voice. She indicated with a pointed finger a spot up the road where she’d previously secured a brightly-colored ribbon. It was a good distance off, but nothing Blake hadn’t managed before. “Nock an arrow, draw but don’t release.”

The Rogue complied with her directions, the arrowhead unwavering on the target while she absentmindedly took into account wind speed and direction.

“Think about the target,” Ruby continued.

_ Okay, sure… Hello, little ribbon, you’re my target today, how are you? _ She suppressed a giggle at her uncharacteristic silliness. Presumably, the petite brunette was beginning to rub off on her.

“Now look at me while keeping the arrow drawn.”

She furrowed her brow in confusion but glanced her way in compliance once again.

Ruby grinned at her widely. “Keep your eyes on me while thinking about your target, and then release. Don’t look away from me, okay?”

“Alright,” Blake conceded. She knew by now her aim had drifted off target, but with a shrug she released the string, fully expecting it to be lost into the woods.

Her eyes widened as she looked over, echoing the gasps from the others of the fellowship observing. The arrow was embedded through the ribbon and into the tree, quivering slightly from the impact.

“How…?” she breathed incredulously.

“That’s the enchantment,” the brunette said, clapping her hands together with palpable glee. “You’ll always hit the target you’re thinking about. But you gotta use arrows you make yourself or it won’t work. I mean, it’ll be a regular bow then, but it’s attuned to your aura, and you leave a trace of that when you fletch…” She grinned and shrugged. “Well, I’m not gonna get technical about it, but that’s how it works.”

Blake shook her head, still in shock at the incredible enchantment that her leader had crafted for her. “This is… amazing.”

“Oh, and it gets better!” the brunette burbled. “If Weiss and me can enchant your arrows while locking in the aura signature… hmm, I’d have to let her know… Hey, Weiss, you know how to do that?”

The platinum-haired Elf shook her head slowly, eyeing the brunette like she’d never seen her before.

“Well, no worries, I can teach you… Anyways, if we can enchant some arrows up, they’ll still work, but then the actual  _ arrow _ will do more damage, like to Dragons and other beasties you can only hit with magical weapons.” She stood in front of Blake, her hands behind her back and a wide grin still on her face. “Sooo… you like?”

Blake enveloped the brunette in a wordless hug, careful of her newly enchanted bow still in her hands. “I love it,” she whispered. “Thank you so very much.”

Ruby chuckled embarrassedly as she returned the hug warmly  “My pleasure, Blakey.”

“Okay!” a loud voice called out from back in the camp. “Where’s everyone? We gettin’ ready to head out or not?”

Ruby and Blake were quick to once again separate from their hug before Yang could come up on them. From the snickers of the others in the group, nobody was fooled in the slightest.

“Heya, kitty cat!” the blonde called out cheerfully as she slung an arm around the Faunus Rogue. “So what do ya think of my little sister’s work, huh? Pretty impressive, right?”

“It is, most definitely,” Balke replied, shrugging the arm off but giving the brunette a warm look before walking to retrieve her arrow.

When she returned, the fellowship was gathered and packed up, save for one usually boisterous orange-haired hellion.

“She’s difficult to rouse on the best of days,” Ren sighed. “Especially right at dawn.”

“I can kick her,” Jeanne stated dubiously, earning her several incredulous stares.

“Do you truly value your life and limb so cheaply?” Weiss scoffed amicably.

Ruby chuckled as she walked up. “Don’t worry guys, your fearless leader has this.”

She bent over the cocooned form of the prone girl and whispered loudly. “Nora, some girl just hugged Ren!”

In the blink of an eye, the orange-haired warrior was up and ready for immediate action,  _ Magnhild _ at the ready.

“Where is she? I’ll break her legs!” She glared around the gathered companions. “Wasn’t anybody here, was it?”

Every female in the group took a hurried step away from the chagrined man, shaking their heads rapidly.

“Good. Hey, we going somewhere?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some get jewelry for their crush. Ruby enchants a magical bow. Hey, whatever works. And it seems as if Nora and Ruby have already had a heart-to-heart.


	16. Taking Flight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LEMON WARNING: This chapter contains brief sexual content.

**Volume 2**

******Kingdom of Vale,  
** **Western Outskirts**

“Once a man has seen a dragon in flight,   
let him stay at home and tend his garden in content,   
someone had written once,   
for this wide world has no greater wonder.”  
~ George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

 

Weiss gasped softly, digging her teeth into Yang’s bare shoulder as she moved on top of the blonde to the rhythm of the nimble fingers currently plunging into her core. Her lover tasted like sweat from when she’d already pleasured the taller girl, but she was desperately trying to muffle the screams of ecstasy that threatened to rip from her throat.

Not for the first time since she’d started sleeping with the incredibly alluring woman, Weiss bemoaned the fact that she’d never learned the Mage equivalent of the Circle of Silence spell.

The platinum-haired Elf shuddered as the tempo of her rocking hips increased.  _ Gods, the things this woman can do to me with her fingers… _

Yang’s breath was hot on her cheek as she ghosted a kiss there before giving the tip of her pointed ear a flick with her tongue. “Come for me,” the blonde whispered huskily. “Come all over my fingers…”

With a muffled  _ shriek _ she did just that, digging her teeth even harder into Yang’s shoulder as she crested gloriously. As was the case more often than not, she saw stars before her eyes from the violence of her orgasm.

Trembling from the aftereffects, Weis lay, exhausted, atop her lover. Yang’s gentle hands roamed about her body as she murmured softly, words foreign to her ear but soothing nonetheless.

“Wow,” she finally managed to squeak.

Yang chuckled quietly, the rumbling beneath the Elf’s ear causing her to smile. “Only fair,” the blonde retorted, “with as amazing as you were earlier.”

“Oh, please,” she scoffed lightly. “Like I can ever hope to keep up with you.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, princess,” Yang murmured affectionately, pressing a kiss onto the crown of her head.

The Elven Mage snuggled tighter into the brawler’s embrace. She felt so amazing, so safe and warm and…

“Yang?”

“Mmhmm?”

“I… I love you.”

She winced as the blonde’s ministrations ceased for a moment before her hands resumed their soft caresses.  _ Did I just screw that up? _

“I love you too, Weiss.”

With a sigh, she relaxed again, the exertion from their nighttime activities catching up to her. She yawned and nuzzled into one of Yang’s warm, soft, pillow-like breasts.

The Elven woman was almost asleep when her lover’s voice brought her to consciousness once more.

“Hey… Weiss?”

The uncharacteristic hesitancy in Yang’s tone caused her to tip her head up to look at the blonde, who was staring up at the stars in the sky past the forest canopy above them.

“Yes, Yang?”

“I… I need to show you something.”

“You do?”

Yang nodded, her face resolved now as she seemed to have made up her mind. “Yeah, yeah I do. Um, can you get dressed really quick? We should move away from the camp for this…”

“Very well,” the platinum-haired woman agreed levelly. She certainly trusted Yang enough at this point, more so than she’d ever trusted anyone in the past. Save, oddly enough, for Ruby, who she’d entrusted blindly time and time again.

After a short while, the pair of them were walking deeper into the woods. Yang’s head was on a swivel, as if searching for something, while Weiss kept her hand firmly clasped with her lover’s, their fingers entwined.

Eventually, they reached a moderately-sized clearing, and Yang expelled a deep breath. “Okay,” she murmured, releasing Weiss’ hand and stepping back. “Just… stay there for a sec, alright?”

Weiss nodded, knowing that even in the darkness Yang would be able to see her. It was a bit uncanny how the blonde was able to see just as ably as she or Blake could in the dark, but no more so than Ruby’s ability to do the same.

Yang walked slowly to the middle of the clearing before facing to the side and giving Weiss a look over her shoulder. “So… Um, you trust me, right?”

“Of course,” Weiss smiled, thinking back to her musings just moments ago. “Implicitly.”

“Okay then…” 

Yang shot her a brilliant smile before her body began to shimmer and glow. She seemed to expand somehow, filling up Weiss’ vision and the clearing itself.

As the Elf blinked her eyes to dispel the motes floating around her vision, she found herself confronted by the unmistakable and grandiose form of a gigantic Gold Dragon crouched on all four limbs, wings folded behind to fit inside the clearing.

She stood there, motionless, as her brain struggled to catch up.

The great head swung around, crimson orbs regarding her warily. “Weiss?” a voice rumbled, the sound like thunder overlaid with Yang’s familiar voice. “You okay?”

“ _ Eep, _ ” was her only immediate reply.

The Gold sighed heavily, blowing her white skirt out behind her. “Sorry, I know this is kinda… sudden…”

“You,” Weiss finally declared solemnly, “are a Dragon.”

“Um… yep.”

“You’re a Dragon.”

“I think we established this, yes,” Yang chuckled, a deep booming sound that shook the ground beneath her feet.

The platinum-haired Mage stood motionless for perhaps a full minute. “Well,” she eventually stated, her voice eerily calm. “This was unexpected.”

Yang chuckled once more, but even as a Dragon her nervousness carried through clearly. “Not a bad unexpected, though, right?”

“I wouldn’t say that, no,” she murmured in reply, one hesitant hand extended towards the enormous snout seemingly within reach. She jumped slightly when Yang moved her head towards her, causing her to realize the deceptively massive size of the Gold.

Each nostril perched on the end of the Dragon’s snout looked as if it could suck the Elf in whole. She giggled somewhat hysterically as she said a quick prayer to Oum for the Gold not to sneeze anytime soon. But as she rested her hand in between, just at the top of the enormous snout, all she felt was… warmth. The familiar warmth she’d been experiencing ever since she came into contact with Yang.

_ It’s still her, it’s still Yang… and I… Yes, I still trust her… _

“Okay,” she breathed, retracting her hand. The massive head swiveled around to regard her with a crimson eye the size of a serving platter. “Sooo… what now?”

“Well, princess...” Yang somehow managed to convey a smirk. “I figured we’d go for a ride.”

“A… A ride?” Weiss squeaked, slowly pointing a finger upright. “Like… up there?”

“Mmhmm,” the Gold rumbled. “Unless you don’t want to?”

“Oh, um… No, no I definitely want to…” A slow smile began to creep across her face. “Er… how do I…?”

The Dragon shuffled back, each step placed carefully and with far more grace than the Elf expected for a creature the size of a good-sized manor. Perhaps even a small castle.

“Climb on up,” Yang advised, extending a wing to the ground.

Weiss marveled at the color and texture of the wing as she carefully crept up. Even in the dim light cast by Remnant’s broken moon, the almost-translucent surface shone brilliantly, matching the lustre from the numerous golden scales lining the Dragon’s colossal body.

Following Yang’s directions further, she ended up straddling the Gold’s neck right at the base, her hands entwined with the surprisingly soft mane that flowed there. She’d managed to gather her long skirt up enough and tie it in order to keep it from blowing every which way. Or at least, so she hoped. Yang twisted her head, regarding her with a crimson eye that somehow managed to convey an excitement that was surely now reflected in Weiss’ own pale blue orbs.

“Ready?” Yang rumbled, the vibration sending a thrill through her lower body.

“Er, yes,” she replied, blushing slightly.

And then the mighty Dragon was crouched, feet gathered under her, before they were hurtled up and into the air.

Weiss choked down her scream, clutching the mane with a death’s grip but her eyes still open wide. Immense wings unfurled to either side and began to beat, lurching them upwards more until they settled into a smooth, easy rhythm as they glided around the forest.

The Elf stared down, enchanted by how small the forest looked, and then her gaze went up and into the night sky around them. It was as if they’d flown into a diamond-studded ebony blanket, held up by the shattered moon that looked to be so close she could reach out and pluck it from the darkened sky.

“Oh my Oum,” she breathed unsteadily, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek in wonder.

Before she could react further, however, something bright flashed by her vision, causing her to squawk and cling to Yang’s back even more tenaciously.

“What…?” she gasped. Turning her head, she saw the source of her fright, yet another Dragon, though this one was perhaps half the size of Yang and shone a bright argent color.

“Son of an Orc, it’s been too long since I did this!” the Silver Dragon called out merrily. “I haven’t stretched my wings in  _ ages _ !”

Weiss blinked her eyes uncertainly at the very familiar voice overlaid on top of the deep rumbling of the Dragon. “Ruby?” she exclaimed.

“Heya, Weiss!” Ruby the Dragon chuckled before doing a barrel roll in mid-flight. “Guess Yang decided it was okay to let you know, huh?”

The Elf shook her head, aghast. Of course, Ruby being Yang’s sister, that would explain so much of their abilities if they were both Dragons, but still…

“All this time and you’ve been a Dragon as well?” she accused loudly over the whistle of the wind passing.

Yang’s body shook with her rumbled laugh. She twisted her head around to speak with her passenger. “Yeah, we both decided to hold off on letting people know.” She turned once more to regard her sister. “I was gonna wait for you, though. You need to be more careful, Ruby, or everyone down there will know!”

“Um…” Ruby chuckled, the thunderous sound still somehow relaying her chagrin. “I, uh… kinda thought we were coming out to everyone.”

“What?” Yang sputtered.

“Yeah,” the Silver sheepishly admitted, doing a quick loop around them before ending back up on the left flank. “Well, I sensed you change, so I figured, y’know…” 

She seemed to quail somewhat at the fierce look Yang must have been giving her. 

“Hey, I was just tired of hiding for so long!” Ruby protested.

“So what did you do?” Weiss pressed, her mouth quirking up in amusement.  _ A Silver Dragon the size of a house and she still manages to act like the Ruby I know. _

“Well, I just got everyone together and went over to the clearing you used, and um… Well, I just said ‘Hey, check this out!’ before changing and taking off after you guys.”

Yang sighed with a noise like the bellows of a forge. “You are such a hatchling.”

“Hey!” Ruby squawked indignantly, causing Weiss to laugh merrily.  _ How can a Dragon even squawk like that? _

“Perhaps we should land before there is a mass panic within the fellowship?” Weiss prompted before the bickering siblings could continue.

“Oh, yeah, good point Weiss… See you guys down there!” With that, the Silver folded her wings and plummeted down in the blink of an eye.

“Oum’s bloody balls!” Weiss exclaimed.

“Don’t worry, she’s just fast like that,” Yang chuckled as she wheeled over and descended at a much more sedate rate. “Silver, remember?”

“Right,” Weiss mused. This was going to take a little getting used to.

Far below them, she saw the Silver soar over the clearing where they’d originated, only for the form to abruptly shimmer and disappear before setting down. Weiss grinned to herself wryly as she imagined the brunette making an entrance in her usual flamboyant manner.

“Yang?” she called out as the ground grew closer, a random thought occurring to her. “What happens to your clothes?”

“Oh, they’re part of us,” Yang called back cheerfully. “Um, let’s get down and tell everyone all the stuff at once, okay?”

“Certainly.”  _ Seems fair, we can all try to make sense of this together. _

The imposing Gold Dragon settled down for a landing in a graceful crouch, lowering a wing for Weiss to descend. She did so, gamely picking her way down until she ended up on the floor of the clearing. It was then she noticed that several torches had been lit, and the entirety of the fellowship, including the quartet of Knights that had joined them, were standing around with identically dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

“See?” Ruby proclaimed, once more clad in her black-and-red ensemble with matching cloak. “There she is, all safe and stuff. Yang, come on over.”

Weiss turned to see the Gold shimmer before turning into the familiar form of her lover, back in her black and white attire. She sauntered over with an easy grin on her face, stopping next to Weiss but not making any contact with the Elf.

The platinum-haired Mage rolled her eyes and reassuringly snatched up Yang’s hand, causing the blonde to let out a quiet sigh of relief. “So, how about we head to the campfire?”

“That is an excellent idea,” Pyrrha replied evenly. “I suspect there is much you wish to tell us.”

* * *

They were all in a circle, any traces of sleep long since banished even though it was the middle of the night. Both Ruby and Yang had reassured them that they would sense anyone coming up, so no watch was needed. Which was just as well, as there was not a single individual who wished to miss this conference.

“Okay, then,” Ruby stated with a nervous chuckle. “Guess I’ll start…” She let out a quick breath, nervously glancing aside at Blake whose face was set into an impenetrable neutral mask of indifference.

“At least this explains how you knew so much about Dragons,” Ren spoke up calmly. “But why the lies regarding your parentage?”

“They weren’t lies,” Ruby answered somberly. “And… I suppose that’s as easy a place to begin as any…”

She slid down the fallen tree trunk that she’d been sitting upon, leaning her back against the side of it and extending one leg out, resting her arms atop the knee that was now propped up. “So, my mom and dad, they were, obviously, Dragons. We didn’t live in the Aerie or with any other Dragons, really, just out on our own. But they taught me lots about our heritage and the world… Then, back during the War, they both flew out to oppose Ember and his reign of terror, along with a few of their friends from back home. That was the last time I saw them.”

Weiss gasped suddenly, her hands flying to her mouth as a sudden realization struck her. “The painting in the castle…” she whispered.

“Yeah,” Yang murmured from behind her, arms wrapped securely around the Elf’s trim waist. “That was them.”

“My mom, Summer, was the Silver in that painting,” Ruby confirmed. “And my dad…  _ our _ dad, Tai, he was the Gold.”

“So if your father was a Gold,” Weiss interjected, turning her head to regard Yang. “Was your mother a Gold as well, or a Silver?”

Yang shook her head, the wild mane of silky blonde hair rustling against the back of her neck. “Nope, my mom is an Onyx by the name of Raven, but I haven’t seen or heard from her in many years.”

“Not that I want to dismiss any of the family talk,” Nebula interrupted with an upraised hand. “But I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on here. We’re being led by a pair of Dragons to raid the lair of another Dragon for a supposed magical artifact that only affects other Dragons.” The amethyst-haired Knight looked around the assembled people. “Does nobody else find this suspect in any way?”

“Nope.”

All heads turned towards the most unlikely of sources for the immediate show of support.

“I trust the both of ‘em,” Nora stated confidently, lounging back against Ren’s legs while the Half-Elven Cleric played with her orange hair. “Doesn’t matter if they’re Dragon or Human, I’ll follow them. Right, Renny?”

“Absolutely,” the raven-haired man agreed quietly, but with firm resolve in his voice. “Oum has set us upon this path for a reason, I am not one to deny divine providence.”

Nebula opened her mouth, but before she could Weiss spoke up next.

“Ruby has my trust, just as she always has,” she defended adamantly. “Just as… Just as Yang has both my trust and my heart.”

“Aww,” Jeanne snickered. “You guys are so cute.”

The platinum-haired Elf rolled her eyes but regarded the Knight-in-training next. “What about you, then?”

The blonde warrior only glanced at Pyrrha briefly before giving them a firm nod. “You have my oath and my loyalty still, Ruby,” she stated, only a faint tremor in her voice betraying her nervousness at speaking her mind before her Knight made her own known. “My trust goes along with those.”

“Well said,” the tall redheaded Knight said softly, bringing a small smile to her squire’s face. “Novitate D’Arc speaks for myself as well.”

Ruby nodded her head solemnly, digging a stick that she’d picked up into the dirt, tracing random patterns. “Blake?” she asked without looking up, her voice soft and casual.

The Cat Faunus was sitting on the ground across from the brunette. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her arms and tail both wrapped around them. As Ruby spoke, her furry ears atop her head swiveled over in her direction. Still, she was silent for the span of a few heartbeats.

“I am still with you,” the Rogue finally spoke up neutrally.

“Okay,” Ruby murmured back, though she seemed to flinch infinitesimally at the less-than-resounding show of support. “Then what about you, Lady Violette, and the rest of your Knights? Are you still willing to support our quest? I shall bear you no ill will if you decide to depart.”

The ranking Valesian Knight of Artemis glanced around at the three Knights who had accompanied her from their chapter. All of them, blonde, raven-haired, and redheaded, gave her firm nods of support. “We began this journey with you,” Nebula finally stated. “It was a request from our King. But we will continue upon this quest if you will have us.”

“Of course we will,” Ruby replied with a warm smile, the first since she’d returned to the campfire.

“You know,” Yang interjected, tilting her head imperceptibly. “We really should go ahead and reveal the other thing.”

“The other thing?” Ruby repeated, nonplussed.

Yang sighed, muttering something about hatchlings under her breath before tilting her head once again in a more prominent fashion towards the side of the campfire.

“Ooooh!” the brunette exclaimed suddenly. “ _ That _ thing!”

Yang sighed once again, while Weiss giggled softly and patted her on the knee. “Patience, love,” she murmured.

“So, then, Nora,” the Silver began with a twinkle in her eyes. “The reason I came across you was because of a certain… well… Okay, so Dragons have a way to sense each other, right? Sometimes their aura trail left behind, but most often the Dragon themselves as they approach.”

“Okay, with ya so far,” Nora agreed, her brow furrowed.

“Well, I was able to sense something in you, meaning you have a bit of Dragon blood in you.”

“I… I do?” the orange-haired warrior squeaked.

Yang nodded in agreement. “Yep, picked up on it myself the first time I saw you. Either Gold or Bronze, we can’t decide on which, but they’re somewhere up in your family tree.”

“Explains the ridiculous strength, anyway,” Jeanne murmured thoughtfully.

“Nora?” Her boyfriend was watching the frozen orange-haired girl intently. “Are you alright?”

She slowly turned towards Ren, a slightly manic smile creeping across her face. “This… is… freaking  _ awesome _ !”

“Oh, dear,” Weiss murmured.

“Yep, here we go,” Yang agreed with a chuckle.

“I’ve got freaking  _ Dragon’s blood _ in me?!?” Nora was on her feet at this point, dancing around the fire like she were worshipping some long-forgotten deity of the flames. Which, to be fair, might actually have been the case, but it was more likely that the hammer-wielder was effused with far more exuberance than ever before.

“Wow, I wonder what else is different? Am I, like, immune to fire now? I should test this, right Renny?”

“No, Nora, please don’t jump into the fire.”

“Right, right, baby steps… Maybe I could breathe fire if I try really hard?”

“You tried that once,” Ren stated calmly over the snickers of the rest of the group. “When you ate that spicy chili in Mistral.”

“Ooooh, yeah, if I couldn’t then I can’t now, that was some fucking  _ awesome _ spicy stuff... “

“Okay, Nora, down please,” Ruby giggled, snagging the excitable pink-armored girl as she skipped by her and dragging her to her side. “I think there might still be some questions for us, yeah?”

“Hey, so are you stronger than me?” Nora asked curiously, flexing her right arm while the other hand was grasping one of Ruby’s biceps.

“Yes,” Ruby replied shortly, blushing at the amount of groping going on. “Nora, can you please, er…?”

With a sigh, Ren got up and pulled the giggling orange-haired girl with him. “I’ve got her,” he offered with a small smile.

“Thanks,” Ruby grinned. “So, questions?”

“You mentioned you were the same age as me,” Jeanne spoke up, her brow furrowed slightly. “Was that… Is that still true?”

“Yep,” Yang snickered. “She’s just a hatchling.”

“ _ Yaaannng _ ,” the brunette complained. “Will you  _ please _ stop calling me that?”

“Well you are, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to keep pointing it out! You’re undermining my leadership here!”

“Sorry, sorry,” the blonde chuckled unrepentantly, earning her a light smack on her arm by her platinum-haired lover.

“Behave,” Weiss murmured fondly.

“Weiss,” Pyrrha remarked. “You just smacked a Dragon.”

“I did, yes.”

“And this does not concern you any?”

“Of course not, she may be a Dragon but she’s still Yang.”

Yang pulled the Elf in tight against her. “I love you,” she whispered into her ear before giving her a gentle kiss on the side of her neck, eliciting a giggle.

“I… see,” the redhead murmured before turning towards Ruby once more. “So, why is it you remain in a Human guise? And is this the only, er… form you may take?”

“Hmm, yeah I should talk about that,” Ruby mused. “Well, for starters, we stay this way to keep hidden. Changing into our Dragon form is like lighting up a beacon for any other Dragon to see. We’re pretty remote right now, so there’s little chance of being discovered if we just stay that way briefly. But, yeah, we’re keeping a low profile so that our enemies, including the mate of Ember, doesn’t know that Dragons are trying to reach the Orb.”

The brunette stretched her limbs, once again shooting an unobtrusive glance over at the Cat Faunus who was still steadfastly refusing to meet anyone’s gaze. “As far as the transforming goes… It’s not like we’re shapeshifters or Doppelgangers or anything of the like. This Human form is like a representation of our soul, or at least that’s the way it was explained to me. We don’t have any control over it or our garb, we just appear as a reflection of who we are in mortal form.”

“That’s actually quite fascinating,” Ren spoke up from where he was still cuddling Nora into submission. “Do your forms change as you age?”

“Nope,” the Silver grinned. “My mom was pretty advanced in age, a few hundred years since she hatched, and she was still really young-looking and pretty as a Human.” Her smile turned reminiscent and bittersweet as she continued. “We looked pretty similar, actually, though her hair was longer and redder, and she wore a white cloak instead of a red one.”

“I never got to see Summer in her Human form,” Yang mused, resting her chin on Weiss’ shoulder so that her breath tickled her ear. “Would have made it easier to look for you, oftentimes daughters resemble their mothers if they’re the same type of Dragon.”

“So you don’t look like your mother, then?” Weiss asked the Gold, who shook her head slowly.

“Nah, well kinda, but her hair’s black. Oh, and our eyes are opposite, so she’s got crimson eyes as a Human and purple as a Dragon.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Jeanne spoke up. “What’s with the eye color changes? Is that a Dragon thing, then?”

The blonde Dragon nodded slightly. “Yep, exactly. My eyes are this color as a Human, unless, well…”

“Provoked,” Ruby supplied. “Or at a heightened emotional state.”

“Right,” the Gold continued. “And then when a Dragon, they’re red.”

“Like mine are normally silver, but change to grey when I transform,” Ruby added.

The group sat quietly for a few moments more. Weiss glanced over at Blake, the silence from her in particular becoming almost palpable, but before she might intervene she felt Yang’s breath ghosting along her neck.

“Leave it alone,” the blonde breathed. “It’s been a shock, and she needs time to get used to the idea.”

Weiss hummed her agreement and nodded slightly. Turning back to Ruby, she offered her leader a smile. “Was there anything else you wanted to speak about tonight, Ruby?”

“Hmm? Oh, no, unless there are any other questions…? Okay, then. Um… if you  _ do _ think of something, don’t worry about approaching me or anything, okay?” She offered a tremulous smile in Blake’s general direction. “I’m still me.”

“Of course you are,” Pyrrha murmured as she got to her feet. She paused and rested her hand on Ruby’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We shall see you in the morning, then.”

“Should we continue with a watch?” Nebula asked hesitantly.

“It’s not really necessary,” Ruby replied. “But if you feel safer, feel free.” She had a small, rather sad smile on her face as she noticed that Blake had already wordlessly slipped off into the darkness.

“I think the routine would be helpful,” Gwen supplied.

Dew nodded as she hefted her shield. “Take the first shift with me, Octavia?”

“Gladly,” the Knight responded, tying her long brick-red hair back in a ponytail before rising to her feet. “Rest well, everyone.”

She was met by several murmured complimentary replies as the others drifted off to bed. Ruby remained where she was, staring sightlessly into the fire.

“Give it time,” Yang murmured as she got to her feet, helping Weiss up alongside her.

“I know,” the brunette replied softly, not looking up.

Weiss walked back towards their bedroll, her arm around Yang’s middle. She undressed before slipping under the covers, glancing up at her lover curiously. “Aren’t you going to disrobe?”

“Well, seeing as how I don’t have to hide things anymore…” With a grin, Yang was suddenly bare naked, her clothes vanished in the blink of an eye.

“Show-off,” Weiss snorted, opening the covers to let the other woman slide in.

Yang snuggled up close, but Weiss could tell something was still on the blonde’s mind.

“Hey, um… Weiss?” she began shyly. “You… You’re really okay with all this, my being a Dragon and all?”

“I will admit, it was a bit of a shock,” the Elf replied gently. “But, surprisingly enough… Yes, I am fine with it. I don’t love you any less for it, that much is certain.”

“Oh,” Yang murmured, a wide and sappy smile now on her face. “Um… Good. I’m glad, because… Well, I’ve never felt like this with anyone before, right? So…”

Weiss pressed a soft, warm kiss to her lips. “You are such an oaf,” she murmured without pulling back.

“But I’m  _ your _ oaf,” the blonde giggled.

“True.” She leaned back warily, then, as something occurred to her. “Yang… You’re older than twenty years of age, aren’t you.”

Yang smirked slightly and ducked her head. “Uh… yeah. I’m actually about another century older than that.”

The platinum-haired Elf snickered and shook her head. “Well, that’s not too bad… And I suppose it’s a good thing that I don’t have a problem hooking up with an older woman, hmm?”

The two of them shared another round of giggles before settling down in each other’s arms, sleep overtaking the Elven Mage almost as soon as she’d closed her heavy eyelids.

* * *

Some time later, Weiss opened her eyes with a start. She immediately reached for  _ Myrtenaster _ , expecting anything from more Kobolds to something of a more nefarious nature, but soon came to realize the source of her unease was the absence of a certain blonde.

She tilted her head to the side, her enhanced Elven senses picking up on soft conversation nearby. One of the voices was definitely Yang’s, and another possibly Ruby’s. She quickly pulled on her shift to cover up her nudity, deciding not to bother with anything more, and padded on bare feet towards the voices. Her rapier, of course, was clenched in her hand.

She wasn’t reckless by any means.

By the time she got to the other edge of the camp, her eyes could finally make out several figures. One was undeniably that of her lover, fully clothed of course (and she was allowed to be slightly jealous of that little trick), and the other was that of the blonde’s sister. A third, unknown figure stood nearby conversing with the sisters, while yet another was standing stiffly a few paces away. 

Another step forward and Weiss could see the Faunus ears atop the last person’s head, as well as the rigid way in which Blake was holding herself.

She sighed to herself softly.  _ Definitely going to have a talk with that girl, I don’t care what Yang says… _ She continued walking forward until Yang turned to give her a broad smile.

“Hey there, beautiful,” the blonde murmured warmly. “C’mere, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

Weiss nodded as she stepped forward to regard the tall, rail-thin man who observed her levelly. He wore a long grey coat and black trousers, and had raven-black tousled hair that matched the stubble on his face. Bright crimson eyes peered out at her, seemingly looking straight through her and taking in her measure with one glance.

“So this is her, huh?” the man stated in a gravelly voice.

“Yep. Weiss, this is my Uncle Qrow.”

“Uncle…?” the Elf repeated uncertainly.

“Yep,” Yang said again. “My mom’s brother, he’s an Onyx.”

“Oh, I see. Er… how did you find us, sir?”

Qrow grinned widely, giving her a tip of his head. “Not bad, got a brain in that cute little head of yours. Yeah, I happened to be in the area when my oh-so-stealthy nieces lit up the neighborhood with their presence.”

Ruby rolled her eyes irritably. “What were the chances of there actually being another Dragon out here?” she huffed out.

“Apparently, pretty decent,” Weiss smirked, earning another raspy chuckle from the Onyx Dragon.

“Oh, yeah, I like this one, firecracker. Guess she’s worth it, huh?”

An unnamed emotion flashed through Yang’s eyes as they went from lilac to crimson and back again. “Yes, she is,” the blonde replied evenly.

“Alright, alright,” Qrow stated, his hands raised in surrender. “Not my business. Look, I can’t stay long, though I’d love to catch up with you girls… especially you, Ruby…”

The pair exchanged a tight grin, and it struck Weiss that Qrow had been helping Yang look for the Silver.  _ I’m sure that’s a relief for him. _

“Look, I need to give you all a warning,” Qrow began darkly, stuffing his hands in his trouser pockets. “You’ve just come from Vale, right?”

“Yep, just left a few days ago,” Ruby confirmed. “Soon as we complete this quest, we’ll be returning.”

“Well… be careful when you do,” he replied ominously. “There’s something amiss in the Court of King Ozpin, something nobody else there seems to be able to sense. And I’m not in a position to do anything about it. Maybe you girls can, who knows. But… Just be cautious, okay?”

“Yeah, we can do that, Old Wyrm,” Yang smirked.

Qrow barked out a quiet, gravelly laugh. “Who you callin’ old, kid?”

The Gold grinned widely as she enveloped him in a hug. “You take care of yourself too, okay?”

“Always do, firecracker, always do.” He turned towards Ruby next, reaching up and touching the brunette’s cheek. “Glad I finally got to meet you, kid. Stick with your sister, yeah? Look out for each other, I think we have some more dark times ahead…”

“Don’t worry about that, Uncle Qrow,” Ruby smiled. “I don’t intend on letting her get away now that we’re together.”

“Good to hear. Weiss, and… Blake, was it? Good to meet you both. Watch your backs, and I’ll be in touch again soon.”  With a smirk and a quick, two-fingered salute, he turned and merged into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.

“So,” Weiss began softly. “That was your Uncle Qrow, hmm?”

“Yeah, he’s a good guy,” Yang said with a smile. “A little moody at times, but hey, he’s an Onyx, comes with the territory. C’mon, princess, let’s get you back to bed.”

The platinum-haired Elf nodded. “Go on ahead, I’ll be there in a moment.”

She said her goodnights to Ruby as well before she headed off in the direction where she carefully noted Blake slipping off to earlier.

She managed to follow the trail of the Rogue to a tree where it disappeared. She stood there with her hands on her hips, still clutching her rapier, and turned in a circle. “Now where did she…?”

“Looking for me, Weiss?” a soft voice called out.

The Elf smirked and looked up to spy her quarry perched in the branches of a tree. “What an unusual habitat for a city Cat Faunus.”

Blake grinned at that, which made her feel a little bit of relief at the display of humor. “Unlike an old Dog Faunus, I can always learn new tricks.”

“Why Blake, that was brilliantly snarky of you,” Weiss praised with a giggle. “Can I come up, or is this a private tree?”

“By all means,” the Faunus girl gestured grandly. “Plenty of seating available.”

The Mage glanced at the distance between herself and the branch, grimacing slightly. She smirked then, knowing that her friend was expecting her to climb up, but instead she flicked her sword slightly. A shimmering disc appeared beneath her feet, and with a flex of her will it rose up with her atop it until she could demurely step off and onto the branch next to the Faunus Rogue. With a satisfied sigh, she gracefully sat with her legs dangling over the side and dismissed the levitating platform.

“Cute trick,” Blake laughed lightly.

“We all have our talents,” Weiss replied agreeably. “Can we talk?”

The raven-haired girl glanced away, her expression once more slipping back into a neutral mask. “What about?” she asked levelly.

“You,” the Elf replied. “How are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Blake… Come on, please. I’m not blind, none of us are, and we could see… something developing between you and Ruby. So, I ask again, how are you doing?”

“You mean now that I… know.”

“About her being a bloody great big Dragon, yes, precisely,” Weiss ground out. “How. Are. You. Doing?”

Blake let out a soft sigh, her facade cracking slightly as she looked… unsure. Perhaps a little bit scared, even.

“I don’t really know just yet,” the Cat Faunus murmured. “I think… I still need a little time to deal with this.”

Weiss gave her a sympathetic nod. “All I can say is… she’s still Ruby.”

“I know,” Blake whispered. “That… actually makes this harder.”

“Oh.” The platinum-haired girl considered that, realizing that perhaps a big part of the other girl’s trepidation was the extreme difference in longevity. She was an Elf, with a lifespan that, while certainly eons less than a Dragon, was not inconsiderable. But Faunus had the same approximate lifespan as a Human, a relative blink of an eye to one such as a Dragon.

“I suppose that can seem a bit… daunting,” Weiss conceded.

“A bit,” Blake agreed with a deprecating smile.

“Well…” Hesitantly the Elf reached over and slid her arm around the other girl’s shoulder. Blake stiffened at first but then relaxed into the one-armed hug. “I’m here to talk to if you need me,” she finished softly.

“Thank you, Weiss,” the Faunus woman replied. “You’re… a good friend.”

The two of them sat up in the tree for a few minutes more before the Elf realized two things.

Firstly, sitting on a branch in a simple linen shift did absolutely nothing complimentary for her posterior.

And secondly, she had a rather warm and enticing set of arms waiting for her back in her bedroll. As much as she wanted to stay and comfort her friend, the bedroll eventually won out, and she bade the Faunus Rogue goodnight in order to make her way back across the campsite.

Picking her way carefully among the other slumbering forms, Weiss let out a heavy sigh.

_ I don’t know what I can do for her, but if her feelings are strong enough, they could still overcome her misgivings. Perhaps, after all this is done and over with, the two of them can sit down and discuss things. _

_ Until then, I have my very own Dragon to love and cherish. I only hope the same might someday be said for Blake. _   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is, now we can finally stop dancing around the issue. Yep, Dragons can assume Human form (but not any of the other races). And now we should have a better idea of others who might be Dragons as well, right? Including a dusty old crow! And yes he’ll make a few more appearances later on in the story.
> 
> Also, this will likely be the last lemon section, though I have in mind one other part (many chapters away) where it might work without seeming forced. The further we go in, the more the actual action picks up, leaving less time for the booping.


	17. Against All Odds

**Volume 2**

******The Wildlands  
** **West of Vale**

“But we were dragons. We were supposed to be cruel, cunning, heartless and terrible. But this much I can tell you, we never burned and tortured and ripped one another apart and called it morality.”  
~ Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

 

Jeanne walked along the right flank of their procession, her senses alert. The party had started out early that morning, awoken by an anxious Ruby who had discovered a rather large force moving towards them from the east. She wasn’t sure of their composition as they were still too far off, but it was enough to worry her.

And then, an hour into their trek, they were brought to a halt once more by both Blake and Ruby. More movement was heard, this time from behind them to the south.

After a quick conference, where both Pyrrha and Nebula agreed that the chance of them being herded into a particular direction was too great to ignore, the four Valesian Knights of Artemis mounted up and departed the column to harass and hopefully draw off the presumed enemy off to the right. Yang had slipped behind on her own to investigate those drawing ever closer from their rear.

The blonde trainee Knight glanced ahead at the pair leading their column. As they only had two remaining horses, the mounts were now laden down with their supplies. Everyone was on foot, hindering their progress, though both Ruby and Blake seemed to set an easy enough pace that all of the fellowship could keep up.

She shook her head, twin blonde pigtails swaying behind her. While she was still having some trouble adjusting to the fact that Ruby, and Yang for that matter, were actually Dragons, she knew somehow that Blake was taking it far worse. She understood what it was like to pine for someone, whether in secret or no, and the signs had been there from both ends for some time. But now, the Cat Faunus Rogue just seemed to have closed herself off, leaving Ruby to feign calm while she was surely hurting inside.

Inevitably, her gaze wandered over towards her Knight. Pyrrha was striding along on the other side of their small formation, with Ren and Weiss walking in between the two armored warriors and leading their remaining horses. Nora brought up the rear, oversized hammer held negligently over her shoulder.

The redhead glanced her way as well, offering a small smile that she returned before focusing once again on their surroundings.

Feelings could really, really suck sometimes.

Jeanne paused as she picked up on a crashing from behind them. Ruby and Blake had already halted, soundlessly moving apart to prepare for any hostilities.

The blonde warrior sighed and relaxed slightly as Yang came into view, though she frowned at the worry in the other blonde’s lilac eyes.

“We got Orcs coming up behind us,” she reported steadily. “Big force, maybe fifty or so, but they’re moving slow enough we can outpace them if we hurry.”

Ruby nodded thoughtfully. “But they might still be trying to push us in a direction…”

The raven-haired Rogue cleared her throat. “What if we were to change our path, head in a westerly direction for a time? Might throw them off.” Her voice was carefully neutral as she addressed the others while her amber eyes restlessly roamed across the surrounding forest.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Ruby murmured with a small frown that she quickly erased. “Any objections? Right, let’s keep moving then.”

They resumed their march, Yang joining Nora in the rear as she kept her lilac eyes worriedly on their rear. The sounds of the forest, which Jeanne hadn’t noticed missing before, were starting to resume once again, presumably as they managed to separate from the pursuing forces.

The blonde squire tilted her head as she pondered that last thought. “Are we sure they’re actually after us?” she asked, just loud enough for the entire party to hear her questioning.

“I believe it’s a fair chance,” Pyrrha responded, her head still on a restless swivel. “Two large forces converging on our location cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence.”

“Yeah, that’s my thinking as well,” Ruby called out over her shoulder.

“I saw how the ones behind us were formed up,” Yang added with a grunt as she hopped over a protruding log. “All spread out and stuff. They weren’t on their way to battle, they were searching.”

“Oh.” The blonde winced slightly, cognizant once more of how much she still had to learn, not to mention how outclassed she was by her companions. “Sorry.”

Ruby spun around, walking backwards, and gave her a reassuring smile. “Hey, don’t apologize, or be afraid to speak your mind, okay? We’re all in this together!”

After the Silver Dragon had turned back around, Jeanne spied Pyrrha looking at her warmly. The redhead shot her another brilliant smile before returning to her vigilance.

Jeanne smiled slightly, her confidence boosted, as she maintained her own watch on the flank she was guarding.

A couple of hours later and the entire group was lagging. Ruby was hesitant to pause for fear of their pursuers catching up with them or the trap she feared close around them like a noose. They ate a meager lunch of trail rations while on the move, which Jeanne was apt to relate to the taste of pure, unadulterated woe. And perhaps chickpeas after having been ground into the dirt by a warhorse. Needless to say, she wasn’t terribly fond of trail rations.

Rations always tasted the same to her, no matter what flavor was advertised on the flimsy packaging. And, worse of all, she knew if they were to endure eating such sustenance for any length of time, she’d get to experience the further joy of serious, unrelenting constipation. The memory of her last week-long training exercise in the mountains of Mistral made her wince involuntarily.  _ Perhaps we will be able to supplement with real food as we go... _

The blonde warrior was brought out of her reverie, only halfhearted at best as she continued to watch her side of the forest, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. And then a cool rush spread through her body, like a refreshing rain shower after a long day’s workout. She sucked in a quick breath, a pleased smile on her face as she glanced over at Ren.

“Thanks,” she murmured with a grateful smile.

The half-Elven Cleric smiled in return and nodded before drifting back to tend to their companions at the rear. Jeanne had a bit more of a bounce in her step as she strode along now, though the aftertaste of the rations still left a sour effect in her mouth.

Not even a rejuvenation spell could dispel the horrible influence of trail rations.

For all of their caution, they encountered no resistance on their march for the remainder of the day, not even any denizens of the forest itself. The ambient noises would drift in and out, but no danger ever reared its head to impede their progress.

Finally Ruby called a halt in a moderate-sized clearing, glancing around in satisfaction. “Okay, it’s getting dark,” she announced, her hands on her hips. “I’d rather not have anyone break an ankle. So, let’s get a quick meal going.” She indicated with her head a ridge about fifty yards away. “After we get settled, let’s put a watch up there, along with down in the camp itself, okay?”

“I’ll take the ridge,” Blake stated, placing her pack on the ground and shouldering her bow.

The brunette laid a restraining hand on the Rogue’s arm. She winced slightly at the raven-haired girl’s infinitesimal flinch. “After we get set up, okay? Food first.”

“Okay,” Blake murmured with a nod, her gaze never rising from the ground. She walked off with her pack once more in hand to sit against a tree trunk.

Ruby sighed quietly. “Okay, um… No campfire, so what can we do cold?”

“No need,” Weiss replied smugly. “I can warm a pot up with my magic, it won’t attract attention.”

“Pretty handy there, gorgeous,” Yang chuckled, wrapping her lover up in a side-armed hug and planting a kiss on her platinum tresses.

Jeanne rolled her eyes humorously at the giggle that issued from the Elven Mage’s lips, ignoring the small pang of jealousy that sometimes accompanied her witnessing of such displays of affection.

_ I can be happy for my friends, _ she thought to herself sternly.

The sun was just dropping below the horizon, plunging the dense forest into darkness, when they’d finished up their meal. Blake was once again about to leave for her watch on the ridge when the forest went eerily still.

The assembled fellowship froze, gazes out and searching as they waited for the ambient sounds to return.

They didn’t.

“Damn,” Ruby murmured, peering about intently. “Anybody?”

“No,” Blake replied tersely. Yang merely grunted out a negative, while Weiss and Ren both stared out towards the ridge that the Cat Faunus had been heading towards.

“Something…?” Ren whispered harshly.

“Yes, I saw it too,” Weiss muttered, her sword in her left hand and the fingers of her other hand twitching in anticipation.

“What, movement?” the brunette inquired.

“Yes, I think I…” Blake trailed off, her brow furrowed, until her amber eyes flew open wide. “Cover!” she shouted in alarm.

While the other six members of their group ran for the closest tree, Jeanne and Pyrrha crouched with their shields raised overhead. They’d heard the distant  _ thrum _ of numerous bowstrings being released as one, followed soon thereafter by a hailstorm of arrows and the screams of the two remaining horses.

“Are you kidding me?” Yang bellowed, her eyes flashing crimson as she walked towards their thrashing mounts. Both were mortally wounded, and with a snarl she cleanly snapped the necks of their last two remaining horses.

“Fucking bandit pieces of cowardly fucking shit!” the blonde raged as she turned and stomped towards the ridge. “Argh! Oum’s bloody fucking arse fuck!”

“Language, please!” Ren called out from behind the shelter of a tree.

“Suck a cock!” Yang growled back irritably, picking up speed.

Before long the blonde brawler was racing forward, a bright streak of gold flying through the trees.

“Keep a low profile!” Ruby yelled after her. She sighed irritably when she got no response. “Okay, they can’t be alone… What have we got?”

“More movement from behind us,” Weiss reported tensely.

“Right,” Ruby growled. “Jeanne, Nora, with me, let’s go head them off and give them a little surprise. The rest of you, hold here, we’ll be back soon to rejoin the party.”

“Sounds like my kinda fun!” Nora giggled, hefting her hammer eagerly as she skipped off after Ruby’s determined stride.

Jeanne spared a quick glance with Pyrrha in the dim light before hurrying forward to keep up with the other pair of petite adventurers.

“Can you see them?” she called out anxiously ahead.

As if in response, a bright light flared into existence up above the treeline where they were heading. It illuminated a large group of roughly-armored individuals, mercenaries by the look of them.

“Well, alright then,” the blonde commented, the corners of her lips peeling back ever so slightly in an eager grin. “Let’s do this.”

She hefted her shield and began to stride forward. Nora was fairly close by on her right flank, but there was no sign of where Ruby had gotten off to. Though from the anguished screams coming off to the left she was fairly certain the Silver had found entertainment of her own.

Jeanne set herself to receive the charge of the first group of the enemy, hefting her shield up on her forearm and gripping her sword above in a high guard.

The first howling man came at her with only a sword, swinging it wildly. She easily dodged the strike, not even bothering to block it with her shield, and her counterstrike cleaved through his weak leather armor, cutting deep into his side and leaving him gasping out his last breaths in the dirt behind her. The next mercenary, wielding a spear, she met with a resounding clash. Her shield took the brunt of his charge, deflecting it to the side as she stepped forward and into his guard, slashing up and out in a quick strike to sever the man’s throat.

As that opponent collapsed to the side, Jeanne continued on forward. Nora was swinging her hammer with gleeful abandon, sending blood and gore flying about haphazardly. The blonde decided to give her a little more fun with the next mercenary she slammed into, twisting around so that he stumbled off and into the next sideways swing of  _ Magnhild _ .

Jeanne faced a female half-Elf next, her head shaved into a crimson mohawk and wielding twin handaxes with skill. She actually had to work a bit harder, stepping back from the furious onslaught as she wordlessly fended the mercenary off with both shield and sword. Before another opponent could join in and give her serious trouble, the blonde Knight-in-training managed to slip in a deep cut through the half-Elf’s right arm, causing the axe in that hand to drop from nerveless fingers. Shortly thereafter, her head dropped to the ground next to it.

Just in time, Jeanne set herself once more to receive the next charge. A burly man, possibly a half-Orc, ran in with a greataxe held aloft. Accompanying him was a scowling dwarf who gripped a shield of his own and a rather large spiky mace.

The blonde dodged to the side as the enormous axe descended, barely missing the initial strike. She didn’t have the chance to retaliate, as the Dwarf was there, making her skip back again from the mace that whistled through the air where she’d just been standing.

“Nora!” she called out worriedly as the pair began to circle her. Several other figures were rapidly approaching, she had to end this quickly before she was overwhelmed.

“Busy!” the call came back. She risked a glance to the side, where Nora was surrounded by at least a half-dozen angry-looking men who weren’t terribly pleased with the state of their fallen brethren.

“Right,” she muttered, setting her shield firmly. She feinted towards the Dwarf, but then adroitly turned and hurtled at the towering warrior wielding the greataxe. He flinched backwards, bringing his weapon down once more, but she held firm, trusting in her shield and armor.

The blade of the axe skidded off of the edge of her shield, slamming into her side and causing her to grunt in pain. The hit didn’t break through either her aura or her armor, but it was definitely going to leave a bruise.

He didn’t have the chance to react further as his eyes bulged out, Jeanne’s sword protruding from his shoulder blades as his life’s blood poured out from the wound.

The blonde quickly turned to receive the spiked mace head on her shield, deftly pulling her sword out from the toppling corpse and swinging it out to keep the Dwarf at bay. Snarling, the squat man surged forward, his powerful body slamming into her shield to try and overwhelm her.

But she’d been trained by the best there was, the premiere sword-wielder in all of Mistral, if not Remnant itself. She utilized all of the skills Pyrrha had passed on to her as she set one foot behind, pivoting off of it to minimize the impact and force of the Dwarven mercenary’s maneuver. As he stumbled to the side, her blade plunged into his neck, unprotected by the chainmail encasing his sturdy form, and he fell quickly thereafter.

Panting, Jeanne set herself once more into a guarded stance, risking another glance at Nora. The orange-haired hellion was handling herself just fine, more bodies piling up around her by the minute, though she bore several minor gashes and cuts.

And then the blonde warrior was engaged again in furious combat.

She wasn’t sure how long they’d been at it, but after another five fallen foes, she’d managed to get close enough to Nora once again to support each other. Jeanne was careful to remain out of the reach of the oversized hammer, but at least now they each had a flank they could worry less about.

Eight more mercenaries arrayed themselves in front of the pair, approaching more cautiously now that they’d seen the fates of their comrades.

“You take the half on the left, I take the half on the right?” Nora asked cheerfully.

“Sure,” Jeanne huffed out with a slight smirk. “Why not.”

Before they could surge forward once more, a fiery arc descended towards them. Able to see it approach, both Jeanne and Nora flung themselves backwards. 

The mercenaries weren’t so lucky.

Jeanne blew out a breath, along with her bangs, as she levered herself up on her elbows and observed the charred ground in front of them. All that remained of their opponents were small piles of ash. “Ouch,” she murmured.

“What in the ever-loving fucking Oum was that?” Nora hollered, staggering to her feet while using  _ Magnhild _ as a crutch. Groaning, the blonde lurched up as well to stand with her companion.

The pair of girls watched a dark-robed man approach warily.

“Ooooh, I hate fighting Mages,” Jeanne muttered, spreading out from Nora. She eyed what must have been a wand in the smirking man’s hand, waiting for him to gesture with it again.

“ _ Especially _ ones who toss out fireballs,” Nora grunted, hefting her warhammer.

The mage raised his wand once more, a spark of flame flicking forth, gathering both speed and size as it roared towards Jeanne. She raised her shield somewhat hopelessly, knowing that, no matter what the outcome, this was going to really, really hurt.

But the impact never happened. The blonde warrior looked up to see a small, red-cloaked figure that had leapt in and imposed herself, absorbing the impact from the magic attack.

Ruby straightened and dusted herself off casually.

“Heh,” she giggled lightly. “That tickled.”

The brunette shot a glance over her shoulder towards the other pair, a dark grin on her face, before staring down the bewildered mage.

“My turn,” she sang out, and then launched herself forward. She spun in, her magical weapon extended upon her whispered phrase into a deadly scythe. The dark mage yelped, raising his hands up to fend off the attack, but the massive blade never touched his body.

Instead, there was an audible  _ crack  _ as the wand splintered in half.

As the man looked on in horror, the released energy of the remaining wand charges ignited all at once. His cloaked form was engulfed in a massive explosion, the blast from which made both Jeanne and Nora step back a few paces from the wind, heat, and unfortunate stench of roasted flesh.

Ruby sauntered forward, not bothered by the heat in the least. By the time she reached her companions, the ringing in Jeanne’s ears had abated.

“And  _ that _ ,” the brunette declared with a wide grin, “is why wands suck.”

* * *

Blake growled under her breath as she nocked and released another arrow. She’d gone through an entire quiver already, and was starting in on her last remaining one, but the stream of mercenaries just didn’t seem to want to abate any.

The Faunus squinted against the bright light as Ren sent up another glowing orb that slowly sank back towards the ground, illuminating the entire clearing.

“You know that does nothing for either of our visions,” she grunted, loosing an arrow at a howling man charging in at the half-Elf’s back. It pierced his right eye, right where she’d envisioned to be her target, the newly-enchanted bow performing flawlessly.

“True,” the Cleric conceded calmly, waving a hand at a pair of armored Dwarves and a leather-clad Halfling who had just breached the clearing. The three of them froze in place, unable to proceed further. “But,” he continued, “Pyrrha would be crippled without it.”

The Faunus Rogue sighed but nodded in agreement. The redhead Human was the only one of the four left behind who was unable to see well in the darkness, and at the moment she was the bulwark that the mercenary force was futily throwing themselves against.

The Knight whirled about the front line, smashing into her foes and leaving them bleeding or stunned. Weiss was close behind her, lashing out with her rapier at those left stunned or any opponent incautious enough to try and get a drop on the redhead. The platinum-haired Mage, at the same time, tossed out hellfire and ice as if they were party favors, shattering any attempt at a cohesive onslaught.

Blake frowned to herself as there was a pause in the combat. “Weiss,” she called out somewhat anxiously. “How is your aura level?”

“Low,” the Mage conceded with a weary sigh. “I’ve been draining rather quickly. How close are the horses?”

Blake nodded, cognizant of the aura regeneration potions contained within their luggage. “They’re not too far off, but-”

She cut off, wide-eyed, as she saw a familiar figure enter the clearing. Her blood went cold as she watched the grey-haired man stalk forward confidently.

“Oh, Oum,” she whispered, taking a hesitant step back before calling out to the others. “We need to run!”

“What?” Weiss barked out,  _ Myrtenaster _ in a guard position. “Why?”

“Blake, we were told to hold here,” Pyrrha reminded her grimly.

“No, no, you don’t understand,” she squeaked as the man’s ashen eyes locked with her own. Recognition flashed across his features, and his eyes briefly flared a dark violet as he gave her a knowing grin. “Yang told me to run if I ever saw him and she wasn’t here,” she continued in a rapid babble, her bow still clutched in her trembling hands. “I think he’s another Dragon!”

The man, Mercury she believed he’d been called, paused and clapped his hands together sardonically. “Give the kitty cat a treat,” he snickered condescendingly.

“Blake, move!” Ren suddenly shouted.

Unhesitatingly, the Faunus Rogue tumbled to the side, just barely escaping certain evisceration as a blade whistled through the space where she’d just been. She adroitly rolled back to her feet, now facing the smirking visage of the man’s companion, who she remembered well from her encounter with Ruby.

“Emerald,” she spat out, reaching behind her for the dagger that the brunette had given her. She didn’t have any enchanted arrows left, they were in her first quiver and already expended, but perhaps the blade might buy them all some time to escape...

“So, where’s your little Silver friend?” the mint-green-haired woman taunted, twirling her blade in her hand as she slowly sauntered forward. “Or that great big bitch of a Gold, hmm? You’re all alone, little mouselings, and that’s very bad luck for you…”

With a fierce cry, Pyrrha sailed in towards Mercury, her shield held out in front and gleaming sword aloft. The Faunus Rogue knew first-hand how skilled the redhead was with her weapon, easily the most prominent swordsperson she’d ever laid eyes upon.

The grey-haired Dragon sidestepped the initial rush, taking a shallow gash along his arm, but then he spun and kicked out at the charging Knight. Pyrrha got her shield around to block in time, but his foot met the protective metal with a resounding  _ clang _ , denting it in as the redhead was sent flying across the clearing.

It was all over in the span of a few heartbeats, far too quickly for anyone else to react.

Emerald grinned wickedly, drawing another knife from behind her back as she sauntered over towards the groaning armored form lying prone close by. “Well, I suppose we just got a volunteer…”

A flash of gold crossed the clearing in a blur, and the figure of Yang slammed into Emerald. The two Dragons tumbled to the ground, the Gold delivering a vicious punch into the smaller woman’s side before she, in turn, was intercepted by Mercury in another thunderous collision.

The three of them staggered to their feet, eyeing each side warily while Ren scrambled over to help Pyrrha. Blake had an arrow notched though she was unsure as to how she could help. She noted Weiss by her side, Elven features twisted into a determined scowl.

“Alright,” Mercury finally grunted towards his partner. “I’ll keep the bitch occupied, you deal with the others.”

Yang grinned suddenly. “Fair enough,” she sang out before flying at the surprised grey-haired man. The two of them slammed into each other repeatedly before Yang let out an ear-shattering roar as she kicked him in the stomach, sending him sailing out into the darkness. She raced after him in hot pursuit.

“Huh,” Emerald hummed bemusedly. “Didn’t expect that.” She turned towards Blake and Weiss, still standing protectively in front of Pyrrha and Ren. “So, who’s first?”

Her evil grin faltered at a cheerful voice that called out from behind her. “How about me?” Ruby giggled, slinking into the dim light still cast from the remainder of Ren’s last illumination spell.

Emerald turned to face the brunette who nonchalantly paused by a tree to lean against it, arms crossed. “Little Silver thinks she can play with the big kids again?” Emerald taunted. “I won’t take it easy on you this time.”

“Works for me,” Ruby replied with a wide grin. She reached behind her and pulled out her weapon, whispering to it once again. This time, however, Blake was close enough, and the setting still enough, for her to hear the curious magical phrase.

“ _ Thus kindly I scatter. _ ”

As Ruby’s giant warscythe unfurled into its full, darkly-flaming glory, Emerald’s crimson eyes widened comically.

“What the hell is  _ that _ ?” she squawked, backing up nervously.

“This?” the brunette smirked. “Oh, this is just my sweetheart. I thought you wanted to play?”

Emerald took another hesitant step backwards, away from Ruby and the others, the silver-eyed girl laughing softly the whole while as she matched her step for step.

“Just like a Green,” Ruby taunted. “Can’t backstab your way out of this one…”

Evidently, the other Dragon had come to the same conclusion and, weighing her chances, decided on discretion as the better part of valor in this particular instance. Wordlessly Emerald turned and fled through the woods, immediately followed by the crashing of trees and then a flapping sound.

“Whelp, she’s running,” Ruby sighed before turning towards Blake with a grin. “Wanna help me chase her down, Blakey?”

A small part of her was screaming in fear at the notion, but the rest of her, still hyped up on adrenaline and eager for retribution, stamped down on her doubts with ruthless efficiency.

“Definitely,” she stated firmly, tightening the strap of her quiver around her and slipping  _ Gambol Shroud _ over her shoulder.

Ruby nodded, a brief flash of relief and gratitude in her silver eyes before she folded her scythe up and tossed it over towards Jeanne who was just now entering the clearing, somewhat out of breath, along with Nora. “Hold onto that, please?’ she inquired politely.

The blonde caught the oddly-shaped lump of metal and gave her a wordless thumbs-up, unable to verbalize any further. And then she spied Pyrrha still on the ground and hurried past them.

Ruby took a few steps to the side, and her form began to shimmer and enlarge into her Dragon shape. Silver scales shone brightly in the dim ambient light.

The Dragon turned her face towards Blake, stormy grey eyes the size of a dinner plate swirling as she regarded the Faunus levelly.

“Climb on up,” Ruby rumbled.

She didn’t allow herself the luxury to think. If she paused to think about any of this, she’d back out, and it was far too late to do so now without doing perhaps irrevocable damage to her already-strained relationship with Ruby. And so, the Faunus Rogue quickly complied, scrambling up the extended wing until she was crouched at the base of her neck, arms wrapped tightly around the warm scales.

Blake was rather surprised by the softness of the fringe at the back of the Silver’s neck. Even more so was the relative size of the Dragon herself. Granted, this was by far the biggest creature she’d ever ridden, but still, Ruby was perhaps half the size of her Gold sister. The Cat Faunus’ legs easily straddled the base of her neck, and her tail was wrapped around just as securely as her arms were. It seemed to be somewhat easier for her than how she’d observed Weiss was when she had ridden on the back of Yang.

“Here we go!” Ruby called out, the bass rumble overlaid with her usual chipper voice sending vibrations through her chest. And then her stomach dropped, her body pressed tightly against the soft silver mane while the air whistled around her…

And they were airborne, flying aloft on the winds.

She had to correct that statement after another heartbeat. They were not simply flying, they were streaking across the sky like an arrow. Blake pressed her Faunus ears flat against her head from the painful whistle of the wind, and her hair was streaming behind her wildly.

“Can you catch her?” she yelled over the wind.

Blake felt the vibration under her as Ruby chuckled. “Of course I can!” she shouted back. But then her head craned to the side, and the raven-haired girl followed the Dragon’s gaze.

Down below, rapidly falling behind them, were two brightly-colored Dragons battling. They careened from the ground to the sky and back to the ground again as they demolished a good portion of the surrounding woodlands. Though the Gold was substantially bigger than the White, they seemed to be evenly matched.

“So much for a low profile!” the Silver joked over her shoulder.

Blake nodded, though she then realized such a gesture wouldn’t be seen. Her eyes squinted ahead, searching for their unseen prey.

_ And how strange is that, then, _ she mused to herself absentmindedly.  _ I’m riding a Dragon while hunting down another Dragon. _

If she compartmentalized things, disregarding the fact that the Dragon she was currently riding was the girl whom she’d begun to develop real feelings for, she might just be able to get through this.

And then, up ahead, she saw a dark shape pass across the face of a mountain. The broken moon behind them cast a shadow against the rocky backdrop.

“Got her!” the Silver cried out excitedly, putting on another burst of speed.

The Green Dragon ahead of them evidently saw them approach as well, as the larger form wheeled about to face them. Emerald’s maw opened wide, and a dark glob of some sort of liquid shot towards them.

_ Oh, sweet mother of Oum _ , Blake thought in a panic, remembering Ruby’s earlier lessons on Dragons.  _ Greens breathe acid! _

But Ruby was ready for such an attack and pulled up short. She flapped her wings ahead of her rapidly, dissipating the glob of acid into smaller droplets that rained down on the forest below them.

With a snarl, the Green turned once more and strained to escape.

“Blake!” the Silver rumbled back as she picked up the pursuit once more. “Blind her with two arrows when she turns again!”

“Two arrows?” Blake yelled back. “At once?”

“Your bow can handle it,” Ruby replied. “Notch two at once and then think of both eyes at the same time!”

Blake nodded once again dubiously as she slipped the bow around from behind her. Her thighs tightened cautiously to keep herself atop her Dragon mount, but she just had to have faith that Ruby wouldn’t drop her.

A pair of arrows readied, the Faunus Rogue waited for her opportunity.  _ I hope she doesn’t blink, neither of these are enchanted... _

And then the Green turned once more. Before she could breathe acid again, Blake let fly with her arrows, striking true with the simultaneous attack.

Emerald let out an agonized shriek as she wheeled about blindly, plunging down in an uncontrollable dive. Trees and rocky debris flew up from where she impacted, and the Green Dragon writhed about in a frenzy. Her words were unintelligible to Blake’s ears, but she supposed that was just as well.

The Silver hovered overhead as the wounded Dragon spewed acid in a wide radius, lashing out blindly with her talons.

“Should I try to finish her?” Blake called out dubiously. If she remembered correctly, the eyes would grow back eventually, so they certainly had to take care of the Green now. She just wasn’t sure what her unenchanted arrows could do further.

“No,” Ruby sighed, the gale-like sound rushing past Blake as the Silver turned her head. The raven-haired girl was startled to note a hint of sadness in those swirling grey eyes. “I will. Close your eyes, okay?”

Blake nodded and complied, burying her face into the silky-soft smooth texture in front of her. She felt Ruby’s chest expand, and then with a startling  _ whoosh _ her hair was whipped around her face by a hot rush of air. The noise of the gout of flame almost covered up the increasingly frantic shrieks from the Green, but then the only sound was the crackling of fire.

The Silver breathed once more, and Blake almost gagged at the stench of roasted meat that now wafted past her.

Wordlessly, Ruby wheeled about and began to fly back where they’d come from. Blake remained snuggled into her back, her mind now awhirl with conflicting thoughts and emotions that swirled about with abandon.

Her eyes were open now, though, and watched the landscape fly by beneath them with a sort of childlike wonder.

But then the raven-haired Rogue spied struggling colors off into the distance. Ruby evidently noticed them at the same time and changed course, evidently to help her sister out.

Before they reached them, however, the embattled pair of Dragons surged into the sky. The Gold had her talons gripping the smaller Dragon firmly, and with a sharp motion, her maw closed around his neck and ripped his head clean off.

Blake swallowed convulsively at the sight, once more reminded of just how different she was than either of these imposing creatures. “Ruby,” she called out hesitantly. “Can we… set down? Please?”

Ruby glanced back at her and nodded her great head slowly. “Yeah, I understand. Will do.”

Rather than continue on towards where Yang had now landed, she turned once again towards their camp.

* * *

Weiss blew out a huff of air as she surveyed the clearing, her pale blue eyes bright and probing. Since Pyrrha had been wounded, and Jeanne unlikely to leave her side anytime soon, she’d convinced Ren not to put up any more illumination spells for now. As it was, the pale light cast by Remnant’s broken moon was enough to make it seem as bright as day for the Elven Mage.

Three members of their group were missing still. And so she maintained her worried vigil for them, anxiously clenching her rapier while her aura slowly built back up.

Nora had rummaged through the fallen mounts, only to sadly report that the aura rejuvenation potions were all broken, along with a couple of their healing draughts. Currently, the orange-haired warrior was digging through the rest of their supplies, gathering up what was still usable and portable enough for them to carry on themselves the rest of the way towards their objectives.

Meanwhile, Ren moved like a ghost through the ring of fallen mercenaries lining their campsite like a gruesome palisade. Her sharp ears picked up on his murmured prayers over the dead, though she wasn’t able to appreciate the effort overmuch.

Their enemy was dead, and they were still alive, and that was enough for her at that point in time.

Her eyes once more turned to anxiously watch the treeline in the direction that a certain pair of Dragons had taken.

Soon enough she picked up on the sound of flapping, as great leathery wings approached bearing the majestic form of a Dragon. Weiss couldn’t help but sigh softly as she saw the smaller form of a Silver emerge from the darkness, Blake still riding behind her neck.

She was relieved to see her first real friend back safely, but it didn’t abate her anxiety any.

The Silver waited for her black-leather-clad Cat Faunus rider to climb down before she changed back into the familiar red-cloaked girl with red-tipped hair. Blake didn’t give her a backwards glance as she strode off to help Nora.

Ruby spared the Rogue a sad look before she approached Weiss with quick steps.

“She’s okay,” were the first words out of the brunette’s mouth, causing the Elven Mage to sigh in relief and offer her friend a wan smile at the consideration.

“Is she still… er, a Dragon? Or on foot?” Weiss inquired hesitantly.

Ruby shook her head, stepping up next to the Elf to join her vigil. “I’m not sure, but I think I felt her change again. Maybe her wing got hurt.” She glanced aside quickly. “I mean, not badly, but, y’know…”

“It’s alright, thank you Ruby.” The platinum-haired girl’s smile faltered as she noted Blake digging through the baggage. “What happened for Blake to be avoiding you again?”

Ruby let out a long, despondent sigh. “We tracked down the Green,” she began in a voice so soft even Weiss had to strain to listen. “She blinded her, but I put an end to her with my fire. And then she saw Yang kill the White. I think… I think in the end it was too much for her. I was hoping, I dunno, that it would help her accept things, but…”

As her friend trailed off, Weiss slipped an arm around her shoulders. Ruby glanced at her once more, this time with a startled look on her face, but the Elven woman just gave her a warm smile.

“Give her time, okay? She’s still working through this, but have faith.”

Ruby gave a rueful chuckle as she rested her head on Weiss’ shoulder. “Now you sound like my sister.”

“Perhaps she sounds like me. I’m the more reasonable one, after all.”

“So you’re rubbing off on her?”

Weiss giggled softly. “Stranger things have happened.”

They stood like that for perhaps another minute or two before they heard the distant approach of footsteps. Weiss released her hold on the brunette and stepped forward eagerly, only to gasp when she took in her lover’s appearance.

Yang looked like she’d been trampled by wild horses and then used as a club by a Hill Giant for good measure. She walked with a limp, blood running down her right leg and both arms, while her normally meticulous blonde hair was disheveled and matted with more blood. One eye seemed to be swollen shut, and her left hand was clamped over her stomach tightly.

“Heya, guys,” the Gold announced with forced cheer. “Believe me, it looks worse than it feels.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Ren answered dryly as he strode over. Weiss was there first, wordlessly guiding the blonde towards a log to sit down.

Ruby stood by, chewing on her lip while Ren moved his hands over Yang’s body, frowning slightly. “I’m… not sure how much I can do,” the half-Elven Cleric murmured uncertainly.

“Don’t sweat it, Ren,” the blonde replied nonchalantly. “Dragons wounded by another Dragon take longer to heal, don’t think you can really do much.”

“Can’t you heal when you, er, change?” Weiss asked quietly.

“No, it doesn’t work that way,” Ruby sighed, giving her sister a wan smile. “And yeah, pretty sure any wound she has is gonna be harder for you to heal, Ren.”

“I’m used to it,” Yang shrugged, wincing at the effort.

“Well, at least allow me to try and close this hole in your torso,” Ren murmured in reply, his hands beginning to glow where they rested over Yang’s bloody one.

“You have a hole in you?” Weiss whispered harshly.

“Just a little one,” Yang smirked. “He got a lucky bite in.”

“Yang…” The Elf sighed and shook her head. “So he was a White Dragon?”

“Yup,” the blonde replied, wincing once more as Ren’s magical healing began to knit things together in her abdomen. “Smaller than me, but just as strong.” She graced her girlfriend with a brilliant smile. “I just happened to be a better fighter.”

Weiss shook her head again before leaning up against the Gold’s battered body, careful to avoid the more obvious wounds. “Next time, you should take me along to help,” she scolded softly.

“Aww, knew you cared about me,” Yang grinned.

The platinum-haired Elf huffed as she tenderly wrapped an arm around the Dragon’s waist. “Of course I do, you dolt,” she breathed quietly.

_ And I’m not letting you run off into danger again without me, my heart can’t take that kind of stress... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a bit of a changeup here as I switched between Jeanne, Blake, and then Weiss for the viewpoint. And hey, was this enough action for ya? Dragon-on-Dragon action as requested (no not that kind, get your mind outta the gutter). Another pair of Dragons bite the dust… Something tells me this ain’t gonna go over well with Cinder… Oh, and a little easter egg was left there from Deadpool, anyone pick up on that?
> 
> So what’s in store for our intrepid adventurers next chapter? Well, I’ll give you a little hint, a preview as it were, just one single, solitary word to whet your appetite until the next week:
> 
> Neo.


	18. Dance With The Devil

**Volume 2**

 

**The Wildlands  
** **West of Vale**

“Riding a Dragon is amazing, exhilarating, and murder on the thighs.”  
~ Bryan Fields, Life With a Fire-Breathing Girlfriend

 

Ruby let out a small but satisfied huff of air as she stood on the hill, her hands on her hips. Arrayed below her was the sparse remains of the forest as it gave way to the rocky terrain surrounding the mountain that enclosed their destination. The lair of the Red Dragon Cindeshthyaleramathe.

“So what’s the plan, sis?” Yang murmured at her side.

The brunette Silver Dragon glanced at the blonde bruiser, who she’d not even known existed until shortly before they’d left Vale. The Gold had proven to be a tremendous, if volatile, help on the journey, and she couldn’t imagine having gotten even this far without her help. Granted, the same could be said of all their companions, adventurers who she’d either managed to collect, or had somehow been drawn, into the fellowship by chance or circumstance.

Her gaze briefly flickered over to a certain black-leather-clad Faunus Rogue who was crouched motionless atop a boulder, gazing levelly out across the terrain the same as she.

Sighing softly, Ruby turned back to reply to her sibling’s question. “From what I’ve read, the lairs of Reds usually don’t have a great big entrance like Golds do, right?”

“Right,” Yang nodded. “They like to stay unobtrusive.”

“Big word there, blondie,” Nora snickered from where she lounged on the ground against Ren’s leg. The half-Elf Cleric was sitting on a fallen log and checking the contents of his large belt pouch and backpack which contained some potions and the like.

In return, the blonde gave the petite but powerful hammer-wielder a mock glare but let the slight go. Ruby had to snicker a little bit at how comfortable they’d all become with Ruby and Yang’s true forms, seemingly indifferent to the fact that they were, in fact, Dragons.

Well, most of them.

“So,” the brunette continued, sobering quickly. “We look for the lower entrance, it should only be warded against non-Dragons, right? I mean, if a Dragon were to visit with nefarious intent, they’d land at the top and work their way down to find the upper entrance, but there has to be, like, a laborer or servant’s entrance of some sort for non-Dragons down at the base.”

“I imagine it would be well-guarded,” Blake murmured, causing Ruby to whirl around in shock. She’d rarely participated in any conversation with the fellowship since learning of her true form, especially a conversation that the Silver led.

“Um, y- yeah, it would be…”

“Perhaps a Troll or two?” the Cat Faunus continued levelly, her gaze unmoving.

Ruby nodded slowly. “Sure, yeah I could see that…”

With a small smirk, Blake indicated with a pointed finger where she’d been focused on. Almost directly ahead, at the base of the mountain, was a small clearing where neither brush nor tree grew. Moving restlessly about in front of what could have been a cave entrance were two tall, shambling, furry bipedal forms.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” the brunette chuckled. “Rock Trolls. Nice catch, Blakey.”

The Faunus girl’s smirk slowly faded as she just nodded, still not looking aside. Ruby sighed once more before turning towards the others.

“Alright, then, anybody  _ not  _ faced a Troll before?”

Jeanne was the only one to hesitatingly raise her hand. “Well, that figures,” the blonde warrior grumbled under her breath.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ruby replied with a cheerful and reassuring wink. ‘Walk with me as we head down, I’ll fill you in.”

The fellowship headed out, Blake in the lead and Ruby trailing a bit behind with Jeanne at her side. Pyrrha had the left flank as usual, but this time Nora strode in her pink-dyed leather armor on the right, with Yang guarding the middle where Ren and Weiss walked.

“Okay, so Trolls,” Ruby began conversationally. “Big and tough, but kinda stupid. Their arms are longer than they seem, and fast, so stay out of range until you’re ready to strike. Also, they regenerate.”

“They do?” the blonde asked. “I always thought that was just a myth…”

“Nope, though Forest and Jungle Trolls regenerate faster, you still gotta take a Rock Troll down fast.” Ruby screwed up her face slightly. “They taste terrible, too.”

Jeanne barked out a quick laugh that she managed to muffle at the last second. “Well, I’ll try to avoid that, then,” she snickered quietly.

The group paused as Blake held a hand up, fist clenched. They were fairly close to the edge of the forest by now, and the late morning sunlight was at their backs, giving them decent visibility.

“What’s up?” Ruby whispered, just loud enough for Blake’s Faunus hearing to pick up.

The raven-haired girl turned her head so that she could whisper back. “Breeze just shifted to be at our backs. I think they caught our scent.”

“Oum’s bloody ballsack,” she breathed, too quiet for Ren to hear and chastise her. “Can you see them?”

Blake turned her head back momentarily before fully facing the group. “No, they went inside,” she reported in a normal voice, her amber eyes looking worried.

“Right, we’ve been made,” Ruby announced, raising her voice so all could hear. “Let’s head in fast, Yang and I out front, be ready for anything.”

With that they were off at a fast jog, covering the clearing in a matter of seconds. The cave entrance was deceptively large, enough so that a Hill Giant might enter without ducking too far, but it was partially sheltered by an overhang. It was also wide enough for them to proceed three abreast, and Ruby waved Nora forward to join them. The orange-haired warrior complied eagerly, her hammer clutched in determined hands.

As soon as they crossed the entrance, they found themselves in a massive cavern. Yang likely could have transformed in here, though she’d be a little cramped, and Ruby herself could fit comfortably as a Dragon. There was no need for that now, though, as what they faced didn’t require such drastic measures.

Eight Rock Trolls, surrounded by dozens of the squat, green-skinned, armored and ugly forms of Goblins, threw themselves at the intruders with angry war cries.

With a roar of her own, Ruby unfolded her warscythe and launched herself into their opponents’ midst.

She skidded to a halt at the last second, whirling her weapon in a tight arc in front of her. The arm of one Rock Troll went flying, as did the head of a nearby incautious Goblin. The brunette tumbled forward, her massive scythe sweeping in front of her and trailing dark flames. The same Rock Troll, now bellowing in pain, was severed at the knees and toppled forward, only to meet the backswing of her scythe, bisecting its head.

The Silver leapt back adroitly to avoid the enormous club that thudded down right where she had crouched. Rock shards pelted her face, momentarily blinding her, and then the air was knocked out of her as a feeling of weightlessness overtook the brunette.

Ruby rolled to a stop, jumping back to her feet and clutching  _ Crescent Rose _ determinedly. The Troll that had managed to catch her from behind unawares was now frantically backpedaling to avoid the murderous swings of Nora’s giant warhammer, while the club-wielding one was stumbling about, Yang on his back and pummeling him into submission.

She absentmindedly bisected a pair of Goblins who thought her easy prey while observing the state of her companions. Pyrrha and Jeanne were ably fending off one Rock Troll, already missing an arm and a large chunk of his torso, as well as a swarm of the fierce but diminutive Goblins, armed with a variety of melee weapons. Blake, standing behind them unwaveringly, was picking off those Goblins with ranged weaponry before focusing in on the ones currently assailing her position. Ren stood by her side, staff in hand and sending the ones who tried to flank them sailing off across the cavern with a flick of his hand.

Frowning, Ruby turned her head to seek out her Elven friend. When she found her, her silver eyes widened slightly in concern.

Weiss had managed to get herself separated from the others, and it was now apparent that most of Blake’s shots were in order to thin out the Goblins in that area. But there were still a pair of Trolls facing her, one with his leg encased in ice and dragging the limb behind him while the other trailed smoke from where his torso must have been set ablaze at some point.

The Silver cursed under her breath, belatedly realizing that most of Weiss’ experience fighting Trolls would have been the Ice variety up north, very susceptible to fire attacks. Rock Trolls, however, had a healthy resistance to all magic, fire or no, due to their tough and practically invulnerable hides.

She set herself into motion, racing forward to rejoin the platinum-haired Mage. A flash of white tumbled to the side as Weiss avoided another strike, slashing out with  _ Myrtenaster _ and causing one Troll to rear back in pain, clutching the stump of his missing hand.

Ruby’s arrival quickly turned the tide as she swept out the legs of the ice-bound Troll before finally severing his head. The Elf took advantage of the distraction by leaping forward and piercing the remaining Troll’s abdomen, slashing outwards to neatly eviscerate the shambling monster. Before he could recover, he suddenly reared back, gouts of flame erupting from his mouth and the wound in his belly.

The brunette grinned as she jogged over to stand next to her winded friend, collapsing her magical scythe once more. “Sooo… Guess you noticed these are a little different than what you’re used to, huh?”

“Perhaps… a bit…” Weiss panted before she stood upright and sucked in a lungful of air, expelling it in a huff. “It would seem the others have things in hand.”

Nodding, Ruby turned about only to freeze. The retreating back of a Goblin could be seen slipping down one of the smaller tunnels leading off from the main entrance cavern. “Shit, one’s going for reinforcements, c’mon Weiss!”

Nodding resignedly, the Elf jogged alongside the brunette as they ran after the escaping Goblin.

Fortunately, their prey was already wounded, so it was a bit easier to follow the trail of blood. Neither needed any illumination as they continued down the corridor, branching off at one point until they ended in another chamber. It was perhaps a quarter of the size of the cavern they’d left, with numerous passageways leading off of it.

Lying in a heap, in the middle of the stone room, was the headless corpse of the Goblin they’d been following.

“What on Remnant…?” Weiss mused, her pace slowed by the sight.

A hand clamped down on her arm suddenly, bringing her to a stop. Ruby’s brow was furrowed as she tried to discern what aura it was she was picking up from close by.

“Ruby?” the platinum-haired Elf questioned in a murmur.

She could only shake her head slightly, confused by what she was sensing.

And then the form of a small humanoid, not much bigger than a Halfling or Goblin, stepped out from an alcove across the chamber. She had mismatched brown and pink hair with striking heterochromatic eyes, brown trousers, and a white overcoat. An overly wide smile seemingly split the girl’s face in two as she regarded the pair wickedly.

Ruby could feel herself grow pale as all the blood rushed from her face. She knew exactly what this small, unassuming little girl truly was, even though it flew in the face of all logic. But there was no denying it.

She and every single one of her companions were in very real, very mortal peril.

“Ruby?” the platinum-haired Mage at her side repeated hesitantly, noting her cautious stance. “What’s-”

“No time,” the brunette whispered harshly, sliding her grip down to grab her friend’s hand tightly. Weiss let out a quiet  _ squawk _ of protest as she was dragged backwards. “We gotta run…”

“What?”

The heterochromatic girl was still motionless and smiling at them widely, not making any hostile moves. She knew that the other was waiting for her to flee, to make what was coming even more exciting for her, but she couldn’t help it. Ruby couldn’t allow the other one to get ahold of her friends and companions.

They had to get out of there, now.

“Run!” Ruby screamed suddenly, racing out of the cavern with Weiss in tow. The Elf stumbled briefly but then managed to regain her footing and keep up with her ably enough.

Which was just as well, as Ruby would have towed her behind like a kite if she’d needed to.

Halfway down the corridor, she opened her mouth once more in a frantic wail.

“YAAANG!”

The pair of them burst into the cavern where they’d left the others, who were now looking about anxiously and preparing for another fight. Corpses of dismembered Trolls and Goblins littered the floor. Ruby, still dragging Weiss along by the hand, skidded to a stop in front of her sister.

“CHROMATIC!” she screeched.

“What?” Yang gaped, dumbfounded.

“There’s a fucking Chromatic!” the brunette continued to yell, even though she was only a couple feet from the Gold. “We gotta run!”

“How the fuck can there be a Chromatic?” Yang retorted incredulously. “They’re extinct!”

Ruby darted forward, grasping the Faunus Rogue next to Yang by the hand and ignoring her startled  _ yelp _ . “Do you really wanna stay and ask her?”

With that she turned and began to race towards the entrance, dragging the two protesting girls with her.

Yang still had a stunned look on her face but quickly turned to face the others. “Look, when a Dragon says run, you fucking  _ run _ ! Let’s go!”

Pyrrha, Jeanne, and Nora were a little slower to follow as they all sported numerous wounds that Ren had not been able to tend to yet. But they were still able to race ahead and back out into the sunlight, trailing after the frantic Silver, with Ren close on their heels. A worried Yang herded them from behind, casting concerned glances over her shoulder as she ran.

One they’d made it to the treeline, Blake dug her heels in and wrenched her arm from Ruby’s grasp.

“What is going on?” the Faunus demanded heatedly. “Why are we running? What is a Chromatic?”

Ruby chewed on her bottom lip as the others caught up, panting from exertion. Weiss was just about on her last tether, leaning forward with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath again.

Once Yang arrived, she strode up to confront her sister. “How can you be sure it was a Chromatic?”

“Look, I saw her, okay?” the brunette explained worriedly. “I couldn’t tell what her aura was at first, but as soon as I saw her-”

“But a Chromatic?” Yang exclaimed. “They were all hunted down over a century ago!”

“Hey!”

The two arguing Dragons pivoted in surprise to regard an unusually vehement redheaded Knight.

“What is going on?” Pyrrha demanded, her fists on her armored hips. Blake, but this point, had drifted off to the side, intently watching the clearing they’d just emerged from for any pursuit.

“Okay, so, Chromatic Dragons…” Ruby shuffled her feet as she tried to figure out how to best explain. “So, they were supposed to be extinct, like Yang said, okay? Really big, I think the biggest Dragon around, chaotic and vicious… They fought any Dragon on a whim. They’re, like, super dangerous even though they don’t have a breath weapon. It’s why they were all hunted down.”

“What did she look like?” Yang demanded, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides while her eyes flashed crimson.

“Short, multicolored hair and multicolored eyes…”

“Well, the different colors match what I’ve heard…”

“Exactly!”

“Um,” Jeanne interjected hoarsely, pointing a trembling finger. “Like… her?”

The group whirled to face the deep forest. Just past where Blake stood guard was the diminutive girl from before, her small hands on her hips and the same deadly smile plastered on her face. As she blinked her eyes, they switched colors.

“Blake!” the brunette screamed. “Move!”

Before the Faunus could even twitch, the small woman burst into a flurry of motion. Blake was sent flying past them to crash against a tree, her weapon tumbling from nerveless fingers. All of those assembled could hear the sickening  _ crack _ of a bone snapping when she impacted, and then the raven-haired woman slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Ren took off immediately, rushing over to assist the fallen Rogue, while the others resolutely spread out for battle.

“Yang?” the brunette moaned worriedly.

“Yeah, looks like we gotta,” the blonde murmured.

“Um, maybe we can discuss this with her?” Jeanne squeaked out, her sword and shield clutched in a white-knuckled grip.

Yang just shook her head, golden mane swaying as she set herself into a ready position. “You do  _ not _ converse with a Chromatic.”

A light giggle sounded from their opponent as she stood in front of them negligibly, giving them a nod and wagging her fingers forward invitingly. With a growl, Nora leapt into action, Pyrrha on her heels.

“Wait!” Ruby cried, unfolding her scythe, but the Chromatic had already begun to move again. With an upraised hand she caught the head of  _ Magnhild _ as if it were a mere stick.

“Oh, shi-”

Nora didn’t have time to react further before she was sent sailing away with a kick to her midsection, her hammer left behind on the ground. The Chromatic spun, easily avoiding Pyrrha’s slash but not the shield that slammed into her. The latter attack, however, did absolutely no damage as the diminutive woman simply shrugged it off, reaching up to grasp the redheaded Knight by her face. With seemingly effortless grace, the armored woman was sent flying back towards where Nora had been sent, the two of them motionless side-by-side where they’d landed.

Jeanne remained on the defensive, shuffling over to the side to cover Weiss as Yang and Ruby waded in next. But the Chromatic deftly avoided both of the other Dragons, sliding between them to fetch up against the blonde trainee.

“Balls,” Jeanne yelped before she was sent airborne as well, tumbling to a halt. Though battered and bruised by the kick she sustained to her midsection, she resolutely staggered to her feet once more.

The multi-hued Dragon regarded Weiss next, who send a series of flaming darts her way. The smile never leaving her face, she simply battered the attack away with a hand while stalking towards the rapidly backpedaling Elven Mage.

But then she was slammed into the ground as a furious blonde brawler caught up to her, Ruby right on her heels. Yang reared a fist back to strike, but she was kicked away, rolling to the side as the smaller woman regained her feet. The brunette swung her weapon furiously, twirling it about in an unpredictable but tight pattern, all for naught. Easily avoiding each pass, the pink and brown woman caught her wrist on the backswing, twisting hard. Ruby let out a  _ yelp _ as she was forced to drop her scythe and stagger back from the punch sent at her face.

_ Gods, I never even saw that hit coming! How in the nine hells are we supposed to fight her? _

She managed to right herself and get her arms up defensively just in time to intercept the next flurry of strikes, but then Yang resumed the fight, sending her own series of kicks and punches. Still, the woman managed to handle the two of them with almost nonchalant ease, ducking and blocking before she grabbed hold of both sibling’s wrists. She leaned back and brought her arms forward, sending Ruby and Yang slamming into each other with a  _ crack _ that reverberated throughout the clearing.

As the pair of Dragons staggered away from each other, stunned, the Chromatic stalked forward towards where Ruby ended up, sprawled in a heap. The brunette looked up fearfully, tensing up to try her best to avoid the pain that was surely coming.

But then her vision was filled with white as a crackling bolt of energy slammed into the Chromatic, pushing her backwards. Ruby glanced over to see Weiss with her rapier held in a guard stance, breathing heavily from the aura expenditure of her lightning bolt spell.

Next, her gaze flickered back towards where the Chromatic had ended up, past the now-recovering Yang. The multicolored woman regained her footing, the smile gone from her face for the first time since she’d been encountered. Pink and brown eyes regarded her own smoldering frame with first incredulity, then anger, as she sustained her first damage of the fight.

“Oh, shitbiscuits,” Ruby squawked, scrambling to her feet and backing up quickly. The air around the Chromatic seemed to shimmer in muted hues of every color in the rainbow.

Yang staggered to her side, joined by both Jeanne and Pyrrha, as they watched with considerable awe.

The small woman’s figure slowly changed, expanding upwards and out. Trees snapped to the side as her form grew ever-increasingly gargantuan, shimmering scales of incandescence catching the daylight in a dizzying display of color. Wings that blocked out the sun stretched wide, scintillating like mother-of-pearl, as the Chromatic Dragon reared up on her hind legs, the crest of her multi-hued scaled head reaching halfway up the peak of the mountain behind her. An ear-splitting roar seemed to shake the very ground beneath them.

“Fuck me,” Weiss breathed with an almost reverence. Jeanne and Pyrrha could only nod slowly in agreement.

Yang spun and strode over towards the three mortals, a determined look in her eyes. “You still willing to help out, beautiful?” she asked with a slightly manic grin.

The platinum-haired Elf didn’t hesitate whatsoever in nodding firmly, her rapier gripped in her left hand with determination. “Let’s do this.”

As the Gold took a few steps aside, her own form shimmering and enlarging, the towering monstrosity before them leapt into the air, wings beating furiously and tossing brush and debris around the clearing. Ruby had stepped off to the side as well after collapsing her scythe and dropping it to the ground, swallowing down her fear. She was not about to let her sister and friend ride into battle without her. Stormy grey eyes flickered over towards where Ren still tended to the fallen Cat Faunus, but she couldn’t let herself be distracted by her worry for Blake either.

“Ruby!”

The Silver Dragon turned her head just as she finished changing into her true form to regard the redheaded Knight approaching her rapidly.

“I can help!” Pyrrha called out insistently.

She hesitated, unwilling to allow more of her friends to place themselves into harm’s way, but her companion had the right of it. They could use all the help they could get in this fight. “Climb up,” she rumbled, extending a wing towards the ground.

As Pyrrha settled into place, her shield strapped to the arm which she used to steady her on Ruby’s back while the other gripped  _ Milo _ confidently, the Silver spied Jeanne anxiously looking on. The blonde warrior stood protectively over the still-prone form of Nora, though her sapphire blue eyes never left her Knight.

With a nod of her head, Ruby tried to convey as much reassurance as she could before leaping into the sky after her sister.

It wasn’t terribly difficult to find their target, as her shadow blotted out much of the land below her. Comparatively, the Chromatic was perhaps twice as large as Yang, but the Silver could tell already that she was considerably slower.

_ And I can use that, _ she thought to herself grimly.

“Hang on!” she called back. “I’m going to make a few passes first!”

Pyrrha’s answer was lost in the wind as she leaned forward, thrusting her wings back to push herself faster than she’d ever flown before.

The Chromatic had locked its pale opalescent eyes on the approaching Gold, but reared back suddenly as a flash of silver streaked by her nose. She was left with a stinging pain as razor-sharp claws scored a shallow gash along her cheek, and she let out a rumbling snarl that echoed from the mountaintops.

Yang let out a boisterous laugh as Ruby circled around her. “I think you pissed her off, sis!”

“That’s the plan!” Ruby hollered back as she swung wide for another pass.

The Chromatic was waiting for the Silver to begin her run again, gigantic wings beating furiously to keep her aloft as she drove towards the smaller Gold. But her vigilance was interrupted by another bolt of lightning from the meddlesome Elven Mage clinging to her target’s back. It scored a painful gash across the base of her neck, causing her to bellow in fury. Her anger was prodded into a white-hot furnace as the Silver flashed in once more, this time ripping into the base of one of her wings.

As the nimble Silver swept forward, the Chromatic’s hand shot out and clasped around the other Dragon’s midsection. She looked almost puny being held there, like a disobedient pet being disciplined, but the sudden pain in her hand caused her to release her grip almost immediately. The armored form on the back of the Silver, red hair streaming behind her like a banner, had almost severed one of her fingers with an unexpectedly powerful sword.

Growling, the leviathan Dragon surged forward to meet the Gold’s charge. Yang’s crimson eyes widened in shock at the sudden assault, and the fiery breath that she’d been building up was released in a sparse stream of smoke as she was grappled. The pair of mismatched struggling Dragons hovered in mid-air, claws slashing and scrabbling for purchase. It was a battle that could only be determined one way without intervention of some sort.

Weiss attempted to hurl more of her destructive spells, but her most effective one couldn’t be used just yet, as the lightning bolt took up a tremendous amount of aura. The spears of ice seemed to bounce harmlessly off of the massive Dragon’s hide but scored deep gashes in the more vulnerable wings.

With an angry roar, the Chromatic reared her head back, jaws opened wide to clamp down onto Yang’s exposed neck, but the attack was deflected at the last moment by Ruby flashing in once more. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had the time to build up as much speed, and while she succeeded in protecting her sister, the luminescent Dragon took advantage of the much smaller Dragon’s exposure. Her rear claws kicked out to send the Gold careening away from her, a terrified Weiss clinging with all of her might, and once again a forelimb shot out to clasp the Silver around the neck.

Ruby barely managed to avoid being held in place, but the claws still managed to tear great gashes into her neck and collarbone.

And, horrifyingly, Pyrrha.

The redheaded Knight didn’t even make a sound as she slipped from Ruby’s back to plummet towards the ground.

“NO!” the Silver roared desperately, wheeling around and abandoning the fight. She ignored the throbbing pain in her neck and shoulders, pushing herself downwards to reach the falling armored figure.

As she caught up to her, she turned in midair to cradle the woman to her chest. A quick glance towards the ground confirmed that they were heading directly towards the clearing where their friends still lay wounded.

Biting back a curse, Ruby changed back into her Human form and wrapped her limbs around her friend, wincing.

_ Oh, this is gonna suck. _

When they hit, it was with a resounding  _ crash _ . She’d managed to arrest their fall enough so that they didn’t crater the ground, but she still felt the impact in every bone in her body. Coughing, the brunette struggled to sit up while still cradling the form in her arms.

When she finally got a good look at Pyrrha’s wounds, she let out a choked sob.

The redhead’s left arm still had her shield attached but was just barely dangling from the shoulder by a few sinewy threads. Obviously the impact had jarred it further to the point where it was almost severed, but it still held on, if barely.

And then there was the gash torn into her chest, exposing muscle and bone. From the faint wheezing coming from the woman’s lips, it was fairly obvious a lung had been torn up as well.

Ruby clutched the redhead to her still, trying hard to ignore the copious amounts of blood that was covering the both of them. “Ren!” she screamed desperately.

But he was already there, skidding to a halt with a worried look on his face. Jeanne was there by his side as well, both hands clasped over her mouth to hold back her own sobs.

The brunette couldn’t look her in the eye, not with the knowledge that Pyrrha lying here in such a state was her own fault.

The half-Elven Cleric’s right hand rested lightly atop Pyrrha’s chest as he knelt next to the pair, his left clutching her good arm. “It’s extensive,” he confirmed needlessly. “I don’t know if I have enough aura…”

“You can be a conduit, right?” Ruby whispered frantically. “Have you done that before?”

“I have, yes,” Ren nodded slowly, not looking up as his hands began to glow. “It’s dangerous for-”

“Ren, I have an almost unlimited pool of aura,” Ruby broke in impatiently. She gripped the healer’s hand with one of her own. “Use me!”

With a determined sigh, he nodded and closed his eyes. The brunette felt a tug that began at her midsection and flowed down her arm as Ren began to use her aura to supplement his own, but it wasn’t going to be enough. She could feel the redhead’s life force slipping away in her arms.

It wasn’t enough, or at least it wasn’t yet.

“I’m sorry for this,” Ruby whispered. She closed her eyes…

...And  _ pushed _ .

Ren’s head snapped back as he let out a hoarse scream. The aura flowing through him and into his healing was far more than he’d ever experienced before, more than any mortal could hope to handle. It filled him up and thrust through him, painful and exhilarating at the same time.

He was both unmade and reborn, torn to pieces and rejuvenated.

Under his hands, bone and tissue began to mend with ever-increasing speed. Pyrrha’s back arched as her lung mended, filling her chest with sorely-needed air. Her arm snapped back into place, the skin wrapping around as muscles regrew at a rapid pace.

Once she felt the danger had passed, Ruby eased off until she felt the draw on her aura slow to a trickle. She glanced at Pyrrha first, and then at Ren worriedly. While the redhead looked to be pale but whole once more, the half-Elf looked to be on the verge of collapsing.

“Still with me?” she asked gently.

Ren nodded slowly. “Let’s… not ever… do that… again…” he panted.

“I’ll try not to make a habit of it,” she grinned. With a sigh, she levered herself out from under Pyrrha’s form and released her grip on the Cleric. “Okay, I gotta get back up there and-  _ Uff _ !”

The brunette staggered under the fierce hug that Jeanne wrapped her up in. “Thank you,” the blonde whispered tearfully.

Ruby just nodded and gave her a wan smile before turning to face the ongoing battle. Yang was still alive, as was Weiss if the infrequent flashes of spellcasting were any indicator, but both airborne Dragons were coated with bloody gashes. The Gold couldn’t hold out much longer.

“Right,” she growled. “This ends, now.”

She took a running jump into the air, her body quickly shimmering until it was her proper form, a speedy Silver that flashed forward. Ruby swung low across the treetops, circling around until she could shoot up explosively from underneath.

The Silver slashed across the Chromatic’s hind quarters before aggressively latching onto her back, right between the wings that beat furiously to keep the great Dragon aloft. Her opponent screeched in rage, flailing her head around to try and dislodge the troublesome Silver, but Ruby was having none of it. She dug her claws in tight as she bit down hard, right along the spine. Scales were rendered under her powerful jaws until she tasted the hot blood that gushed from the wound she worried at like a dog on a bone.

Yang collided with the enraged Chromatic, attacking from the front as well. Between the two sisters, they tore into the much larger Dragon with abandon. The gargantuan creature’s efforts to dislodge her attackers became increasingly weaker until she gave one last powerful kick, sending the Gold away but with a good chunk of her own hide.

And then those humongous wings stopped beating, and she plunged towards the ground, Ruby riding her all the way down. The impact almost shook her off, but she managed to hold tight until the tremors stilled.

The smaller Dragon stood upright, carefully checking the larger form for any sign of life.

“I think we got her,” a weary voice rumbled from overhead.

The Silver raised her head to regard her battered sister with a small smile. “Yeah, I think we did.”

“Is Pyrrha alright?” Weiss called down anxiously, still clinging to the feathery-soft mane behind Yang’s neck.

“She will be,” Ruby replied. She froze as the form below her trembled slightly. With careful movements, the Silver crawled down to the blood-soaked ground and circled around towards the head of the Chromatic.

One enormous opalescent eye, easily the size of a cart, regarded her levelly.

Ruby gave her a respectful bow. “What was your name, Great One?” she asked.

Mouth barely moving, the Chromatic rumbled out a single word in the Draconic language.

“ _ Neosrethylamacarionnaeris… _ ”

“Are you the last of the Chromatic Dragons, Neosrethylamacarionnaeris?”

The eye blinked at her slowly in confirmation.

Ruby nodded towards her. “Then we shall remember you as such.”

The Chromatic wheezed a shallow breath as she parted her lips once more and spoke her last, still in Draconic.

“ _ It was… a glorious fight… _ ”

“That it was,” the Silver agreed solemnly. “And a noble death.”

With a sigh, the great eye closed and the Chromatic stilled forever more.

A  _ thud _ from behind signaled Yang’s landing. “That was the closest I’ve ever come to meeting the ancestors,” Yang noted idly, the rumbling overlaid by her cheery voice.

“Yeah,” Ruby sighed heavily, the gust of wind sending fallen trees tumbling away from her. “Let’s get back to the others, huh?”

She cast one more regretful look at the fallen Dragon before winging her way along Yang’s trail.

_ It is never a good thing for an Ancient One to fall, no matter how evil or chaotic they may be. One more Dragon gone from the world, and another step closer to extinction and the loss of magic. _

Ruby shook her head resolutely.  _ I just wish other Dragons could see how such fighting is destroying us... _

She arrived back at the clearing, changing forms to land lightly on her feet. Yang was already seated against a tree, Weiss tending to her numerous bloody wounds with a wet cloth while they shared a soft smile.

Thinking of such made her own wounds twinge, and she winced as she felt the tenderness around her neck. But there would be time for that later, right now she needed to see to the others in the fellowship.

Striding forward, the brunette came across the seated forms of Ren and Nora. Both looked to be merely asleep and resting rather than wounded, their heads leaning up against each other and fingers intertwined, so she smiled in relief before moving on. Just across the way, a peacefully slumbering Pyrrha was laid out, her shield and recovered sword laying at her side. An unarmored Jeanne was sitting next to her Knight’s prone form, clasping the redhead’s hand gently in her own as she watched her sleep with a wistful smile. Ruby pretended not to notice them as her gaze swept around, worriedly searching for-

“Hey.”

She turned, startled, to see the Cat Faunus standing behind her uncertainly.

“Blake,” the brunette breathed in relief. “Um, how are you? Did Ren manage to heal you up okay?”

The raven-haired girl nodded quickly, glancing down at the ground. “Yes, he did, I’m… I’m fine now. Er… I’m sorry I couldn’t… help more…”

“No, no, don’t think like that,” Ruby protested softly, reaching forward but halting her hand in mid-air before returning it to her side. “I was… really worried about you,” she admitted quietly.

“You were?”

“Yeah, Blakey… I was.”

“Oh. Well… Ruby! You’re hurt!”

The brunette shrugged, though the motion made her silver eyes almost tear up from the pain. “Just a little scratch,” she gasped unconvincingly.

“Right, well, come with me. Ren is spent, but we have some healing salves in his pack…”

Ruby gave a start as Blake grabbed hold of her hand and began to pull her towards a nearby tree stump, evidently having been blasted apart with the recent fighting. She fought down a grin as she followed in the Faunus Rogue’s path.

Wordlessly Blake sat her down, releasing her hand to dig into the pack that was resting there. Ruby sat motionless, watching the raven-haired girl’s movements with careful eyes, trying very hard not to spook the raven-haired girl or disrupt her newfound and tentative comfort around the Silver.

And she kept her mouth shut as Blake carefully tended to her wounds, spreading the cool salve around her neckline and rubbing it ever so gently into her collarbone. Faunus ears flicked as her breath ghosted over them while she bent over her, and she felt the momentary brush of a tail along her leg, both of them causing her to simply stare in wonder.

“Better?” the Cat Faunus asked quietly after she leaned back once more, her amber eyes darting up to capture her gaze.

Ruby nodded slowly and with a hesitant smile. “Much, thanks.”

“Good.” Blake packed the items back away but made no attempt to get back up and move away as she had done so frequently since finding out about Ruby’s true form.

“So, we should probably rest up before going back in, huh?” Ruby ventured.

“That would be wise,” Blake agreed, fidgeting with her hands in her lap and her gaze focused on the ground before her.

“Blakey?”

“Mmm?”

“Are we… Are you…?”

The Cat Faunus looked up then, a small smile forming on her lips and her amber eyes glowing in the fading afternoon light. “I’m trying,” she whispered.

“Okay,” Ruby replied, her heart pounding in her chest. She sniffled, unable to keep a joyful tear from making its way down her cheek. “Um… thanks.”

Blake blushed slightly, her gaze returning to her lap. “Thank you, Ruby… for being so… so patient with me.”

As the Faunus gracefully rose to her feet, Ruby reached out to lay a gentle hand against her thigh. “I always will be.”

The raven-haired girl paused, but then nodded and gave her another small smile before moving off. “I’ll take first watch,” she called out over her shoulder.

Ruby sighed happily as she flopped onto the ground, her red cloak spilling out under her.

She closed her eyes and drifted off into a light slumber, while her dreams were filled with a pair of amber eyes that danced before her, sparkling with unnamed emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the Dragon battles last chapter were just meant as a warmup for this one. I could have drawn this out a lot more (into more chapters that is, this one was pretty damn long in its own right), but sadly in this story Neo only played a very minor role as an obstacle. A pretty damn powerful obstacle (here’s your Dragon Boss Fight, RatedRSuperStar87!), but an obstacle nonetheless. She’s featured a lot more prominently in my VtMB crossover story, Blood of the Rose. Next chapter, though, the fellowship will delve into the depths of Cinder’s lair towards the prize they seek. Only two chapters left in this particular volume, and this one marks the halfway point!


	19. Fragmented Fellowship

**Volume 2**

 

**Mountain Glenn  
** **Cinder’s Lair**

“Dear Diary,  
Went out shopping today. Picked up half a dozen sheep, two pigs, and a princess.   
The sheep are rather depressingly thin, the pigs and princess only slightly less so.”  
~ Tad Williams

 

Blake stood with her back against a tree, the cresting sun behind her sending rays of ruby-red light across the clearing. Most of the fellowship were sleeping still, save for a now-recovered Pyrrha who stood watch and Ren who was gathering supplies up to make a meager breakfast.

Her amber eyes, however, were focused on none of that. Instead, they regarded the slumbering form of a certain red-cloaked brunette.

She was trying, truly she was. Her attraction to Ruby was undeniable, nor was the chemistry the two of them had shared before… well…

The Cat Faunus sighed softly, her tail twitching behind her.  _ What am I thinking here, she’s a  _ **_Dragon_ ** _ for Oum’s sake, a great big bloody Dragon who will live longer than an Elf, not to mention a Faunus like me… _

_ But she’s only eighteen, truly, _ a small voice whispered in her head.

_ But that doesn’t negate the fact that she’s a Dragon! _

_ Well, then you shouldn’t have fallen in love with her. _

The murmurings of her conscience brought her up short.  _ Wait, what? How can I…? Since when did I feel…? _

The Faunus Rogue let out another sigh as she was forced to accept the facts. Yes, she did fall in love with a Dragon.  _ Gods, it sounds worse when I actually  _ **_say_ ** _ it, even if it’s in my head. _

So, then, if she could begin to accept that simple fact, could she not try to accept Ruby for who she was? Yes, a Dragon, but also an oftentimes goofy and irrepressible girl who gave really nice hugs.

She blushed lightly at that last admission. And if this form, this Human-like appearance was supposed to be a manifestation of their soul… Well, then, Ruby had one incredibly cute soul.

Blake buried her face in her hands.  _ Okay, now  _ **_that_ ** _ sounded unbelievably lame. _

“Mornin’, Blakey!”

The Cat Faunus let out a startled  _ squawk _ at the cheery voice that piped up from right next to her. She flailed backwards, but ended up tumbling to the ground and onto her back, her ears flattened against her head in embarrassment.

Warm, silver eyes peered down at her in concern. “Um… You okay?”

“Fine, just fine,” Blake replied breezily. “Nothing wounded save for my pride.”

“Well, that’s okay then,” Ruby grinned widely. “Nothing we can’t do without, right?”

“Right,” she chuckled back, accepting the helping hand up. The brunette gave her a wink before moving over to help Ren prepare breakfast.

“That was quite smooth,” Weiss snarked in a low murmur as she sauntered over.

The raven-haired girl sighed, keeping her voice low enough so that the Silver’s enhanced hearing wouldn’t catch her words. “Yes, well… she does tend to have that effect on me.”

“You seem to be doing… better?” the Elf prompted hopefully.

Blake nodded slightly. “I’m trying,” she repeated her now-familiar refrain.

“That’s nice.” Weiss leaned over and gave her a quick hug. “You let me know if you want to talk any more about it, alright?”

“I will, thank you, Weiss,” she smiled.

“Alright, break it up, you two,” a boisterous voice sang out from across the clearing. The buxom blonde strolled in from the treeline, smirking widely. “Don’t go tryin’ to steal my girl, now, kitten!”

Blake raised an eyebrow, feeling unusually playful that morning. “Really, Yang, if I were trying to steal her away, she’d be stolen. I  _ am _ a Rogue, after all.”

Just about everyone in the fellowship, now all awake, burst out into laughter at that. “Oooh, shots fired, blondie!” Nora chortled.

Ruby, though smiling as well, was sending her an altogether different look. One she recognized as both possessive and heated.

The Faunus girl turned away with another blush.  _ Son of an Orc… Yeah, okay, so there’s little doubt my feelings are reciprocated… but will I ever be brave enough to talk about them with her? _

The group sat down to a companionable meal, bantering back and forth easily. Perhaps unconsciously, Blake ended up sitting next to the brunette, an action that caused the other girl to look over at her, startled, before resuming her conversation with Weiss.

Eventually, though, Ruby stood up and cleared her throat. “Okay, then. If we’re all prepared, we should head back in. Ren?”

The half-Elf nodded firmly. “Rested, and I have my potions along.”

The brunette nodded, turning to her other side next. “Weiss?”

“I’m ready,” she stated simply, leaning over towards Blake. “I, er, took the liberty of enchanting some more arrows for you while you slept. I couldn’t get to the whole quiver, but…”

“Thank you, Weiss,” she smiled back. “You should have rested, though.”

The platinum-haired Elf waved her concern away. “It was nothing, really. I’m ready to go.”

“Okay,” Ruby grinned. “Let’s go delve us a dungeon, then!”

“I think that’s supposed to be ‘delve  _ into _ ’ a dungeon,” Blake murmured as she rose to her feet.

“Eh, semantics,” Ruby chuckled. “Forward!”

The group set out in their usual formation, Ruby and Blake out in front to scout and the armored forms of Pyrrha and Jeanne on the flanks. Nora paced along just ahead of Ren and Weiss while Yang brought up the rear.

Nothing seemed to have changed since the last time they had entered the cavern. The remains of their previous battle still littered the floor, discarded limbs and weaponry along with the corpses of Goblins and Trolls. The formation halted in the center of the room.

“So, I think maybe we should try this one,” Ruby stated, indicating a corridor leading off to the right. “That’s the one we chased that Goblin down and found the Chromatic. Might be the right direction.”

Her opinion was met by semi-agreeable shrugs. “Well, alright then,” the brunette snorted. “With  _ that _ resounding vote of confidence, let’s give it a go.”

At that point, they were forced to travel two abreast due to the width of the corridor. Pyrrha and Jeanne moved in to back up Blake and Ruby, while Ren held his staff overhead after attaching a magical globe of light to the tip.

Soon enough they entered the chamber where Ruby indicated they’d found the other Dragon. A large blood stain in the middle marked where the Goblin corpse had been, though it must have been removed at some point, while six other passageways led off in different directions.

Wordlessly, Ruby gave Blake a nod, and the Faunus Rogue began her search. Tracking underground was quite a bit different from in the city, with different traces left behind and fewer objects to displace in passing. She did note some pebbles that looked to be disturbed along one corridor, while another looked to be rather worn down.

Standing up and brushing the dirt from her black leather pants, the Cat Faunus returned to the expectant group.

“I found one heavily-used passageway, and another less-frequently used but has seen traffic recently.”

Nora grunted, peering down each tunnel. “No idea what made the tracks?”

The raven-haired girl regarded her levelly. “I’m not that kind of Rogue.”

“Right, right, sorry…”

After a brief discussion, they opted for the heavily-used path, hoping it would lead them towards their goal. They set out once more, moving cautiously enough for Blake’s keen eyes to search ahead for any sign of traps.

After a few twists and turns, not to mention a good fifteen minutes of walking, the Cat Faunus pulled them to a halt, sniffing cautiously.

“What is it?” Ruby whispered, silver eyes probing the darkness.

“Oil, I think?” she murmured in reply. “Like from lanterns, it’s wafting down our way… I think we might have company ahead…”

The brunette nodded and turned to pass the word along. They crept forward more cautiously now, keeping as silent as possible, until they could see a steady glow from around the next bend. Ren was instructed to dismiss his illumination spell, and they moved forward to the next corner.

Blake crouched down and slowly eased around the edge of the passageway, enough to take a peek before pulling back again.

“I see four men in dark robes,” she breathed into Ruby’s ear, entirely too hyped up on adrenaline to be affected by how near she was to her. “Four armored guards with spears along the walls, might be more I can’t see. Dais in the middle with an altar of some sort, the four robed men are standing around it, not moving.”

Ruby nodded and moved her face so that she could murmur into her ear next. “Some kind of ritual?”

Blake just shrugged in return, and Ruby flashed her a quick grin. She squeezed her shoulder briefly as she ghosted by her to pass along the news. The Faunus Rogue crouched back down by the corner, ears straining for any sound of movement while she waited for them to be ready.

After only a few moments, Ruby was back with Nora and Yang. With quick hand movements, she indicated that the three of them would perform the initial rush, with Pyrrha and Jeanne staying with the spellcasters and Blake to shield them. The Faunus rolled her eyes at Ruby’s protectiveness, and as if she could read her mind, the Silver stuck her tongue out playfully before lining up for the charge.

Watching the intense concentration on the brunette’s face as she readied herself, massive warscythe unfurled and held at her side, almost took Blake’s breath away. She had to physically give herself a shake to regain her focus.

And then, at some unseen signal, the three members of the vanguard were off, charging into the room. They were met by fierce cries of “Intruder!”, unoriginally enough in her opinion. And then in a clatter of armor, Pyrrha and Jeanne were charging in, Weiss and Ren on their heels. The Faunus Rogue nocked an arrow as she hurled herself around the corner and into the chaos-filled chamber.

There were quite a few more spearmen that she hadn’t been able to see, but they were being readily handled by Ruby and Nora. Yang had surged forward and had already bashed in the head of one of the dark-robed men. Two more had drawn maces, while their hands drew intricate runes in the air. But of more concern to the Cat Faunus was the fourth spellcaster who clutched a mallet in his hands, bringing it around to smash against a large, ornate, brass gong.

“Shit!” she barked out, quickly pulling back and releasing her arrow. It arrived too late, however, as the loud reverberations of the gong rang throughout the chamber while the lifeless body of the spellcaster dropped to the floor.

As the ringing sound faded, the ground began to vibrate.

“That is not good!” Pyrrha called out anxiously. By her side, Jeanne let out a startled  _ yelp _ as a hand shot out from the packed earth floor and latched onto her ankle.

Blake spun around, nimbly leaping about as more hands emerged, all of them trying to grasp onto her. They seemed roughened, perhaps stone-like, and she doubted her arrows would do any damage.

As she tumbled to the side, she was brought up short by a stinging pain. Looking behind her, Blake spied a stony hand from the wall that had latched onto her tail. With a furious howl, the Cat Faunus spun around and began beating at the hand grasping her appendage.

“Let! Me! Go!” she shrieked. Now that she was immobile, though, more hands emerged to try and seize hold of her. Her left foot became trapped, and she winced at the steady pressure on her ankle, grinding her bones together.

Snarling, the raven-haired Rogue dropped her bow and whipped out the enchanted dagger Ruby had gifted to her. She began to hack away at the hand trapping her ankle, but as soon as she freed it another one grabbed hold of her right foot.

“You stupid little piece of Ogre shit!” Blake yelled angrily, still trying to yank her tail out at the same time while fighting off more grasping limbs.

“Blake!” a welcome voice hollered. “Stop moving!”

She quickly complied, only wincing slightly as a massive warhammer came smashing down on the edge of the hand holding her ankle. Another deft strike and her sore tail was now freed.

“Thanks, Nora,” she sighed, grasping her damaged tail and wincing at the pain shooting throughout her nervous system.

“No worries!” the orange-haired warrior replied cheerfully. “I was  _ made _ for this kinda stuff!”

Sure enough, the diminutive pink-armored girl seemed demonstratively apt at dismantling the stone hands. Before too much time had passed the group was standing around a room littered with potholes from her hammer strikes, while Nora leaned on her weapon, breathing heavily but wearing a huge grin on her face.

“That was awesome!” she cheered mutedly, barely able to raise an arm over her head. “Let’s do it again sometime!”

“Well, if we do, you’ll be the first we call for,” Ruby chuckled as she picked her way along the companions. Ren was tending to Weiss, who seemed to have a broken ankle, while Pyrrha had one of her boots off, making a quick repair to the damaged armor plating.

“Hey,” the brunette said softly as she approached Blake. “You okay?”

The Faunus Rogue nodded wryly as she turned to retrieve her bow. “Yeah, just… got my tail caught. Hurts a bit.”

“Oh no!” Ruby exclaimed softly as she came up behind her. “I’m so sorry! Here, lemme see…”

Blake froze as she felt Ruby take hold of her tail, smoothing it out and stroking the end of it.

“Where does it hurt?” the brunette asked innocently.

“Um…” She was very glad to be facing the other way to hide her blush. “Just… the end…”

“Okay…”

Blake closed her eyes as she felt the brunette girl massage the end of her tail, dispelling some of the soreness with her cool hands.

_ I will not let myself be turned on by this. I will not let myself- _

“Is that better, Blakey?”

“Yes,” the raven-haired girl squeaked before clearing her throat. “Yes, thank you, Ruby.”

“Anytime!”

She heard Ruby move off but remained facing the wall resolutely.

Until she felt the familiar presence of Weiss by her side.

“Interesting wall,” the Elf deadpanned.

“Yes, yes it is. Fascinating, really.”

“Well, I do believe we are ready to move out again.”

“I see.”

“In case you were wondering, your blush is gone.”

“Yes, thank you, Weiss.”

Without further conversation, the pair turned around and moved to rejoin the group.

“Whelp, at least there’s only one way to go,” Ruby was musing, peering ahead. “Shall we?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Yang grinned.

They headed out once more in their familiar formation. Blake was quite carefully  _ not _ looking in Ruby’s direction anytime soon.

“Hey,” she eventually murmured, brow furrowed. “There’s a blood trail, very faint…”

“Did we miss one that got away?” Ruby opined.

“Could be, I know I was distracted…”

They kept on, Blake noting that the blood drops were fairly steady. Eventually, though, they came to a four-way intersection, each corridor looking the same. From that point on, however, there were torch sconces in the wall, spaced apart every so often. Some of the torches were lit, sputtering fitfully.

“Blake?” the brunette murmured.

She indicated to the right. “Blood leads off that way.”

“Well, it’s as good a bet as any I suppose…”

They continued on, taking several more branches, the corridor making unexpected turns, seemingly doubling back on itself at times, until Blake was hopelessly turned around.

“Okay, wait,” Weiss called out from behind, bringing the party to a halt. “Is the blood trail still leading us on?”

“Yes, it’s continuing,” Blake replied, nonplussed.

“Any normal Human would have bled out by now,” the Elf stated, her brow furrowed.

“Son of an Orc,” Ruby breathed. “She’s right.” The brunette bent down, sniffing at the ground. “Is this even Human blood?”

“What does it taste like?” Yang asked helpfully.

“Yang, I am  _ not _ licking the dirt floor.”

“It’s just a suggestion, I mean, if you wanna know…”

“Why don’t  _ you _ try it, then?”

The blonde grinned at her unrepentantly. “Hey, you’re the fearless leader here.”

Ruby crossed her arms and glared at the other Dragon while Blake bent down at another blood spot.

“No, it’s not Human,” she reported calmly. “Might be a cow.”

“How the heck did they get a cow down here?” Nora asked curiously.

“You know,” Blake murmured as she stood back up. “Half the time I don’t know if she’s actually serious or not.”

Ruby grinned and opened her mouth to reply, but then the walls next to them suddenly sprang upwards and into the ceiling, revealing a literal horde of heavily-armored and -armed Orcs on either side. The remaining walls shook from their bellowed war cry.

“Oh, look,” Blake shouted calmly over the din as she loosed an arrow, striking what looked to be a chieftain through the eye. “An ambush.”

“Well, it was bound to happen eventually!” Ruby yelled back before launching herself forward.

In short order, the members of the fellowship found themselves embroiled in a wild melee. Blake’s ranged weapon quickly became useless, and so she shouldered her bow and filled a dagger in each hand, grinning eagerly.

“Alright, then,” she smirked at the pair of Orcs looming over her. “Let’s play.”

The Faunus Rogue dove in between them, slashing out and hamstringing the pair of green-skinned humanoids. They tried to turn, emitting howls of pain, but she spun around and neatly eviscerated the pair.

Before she could react further, she was forced to leap back as the previously-raised wall suddenly dropped back down again, trapping her on the other side from the main corridor.

The raven-haired girl didn’t have time to ponder on her situation as she was sent tumbling backwards again by the halberd that crashed down where she’d been crouched, narrowly missing her head. By the sounds of things, she wasn’t alone, but she needed to take care of this little problem first.

Blake surged forward, crossing her arms in front of her and then slashing out. The Orc backpedaled, trying to bring his polearm around again, but once she was within his guard it was over in a matter of seconds. She stood over the corpse, panting, while glancing around.

Pyrrha stood in the middle of the corridor, her sword and shield set though there were no opponents facing her. “Is there anyone else here with me?” the redhead called out somewhat anxiously.

_ Right, she can’t see, _ Blake mused to herself. None of the torches on this side were lit.

“I am here,” Ren replied softly as he warily approached the Knight from behind.

“And I as well,” Blake chimed in. “Ren, some light perhaps?”

“Of course.”

The three of them blinked their eyes in the sudden illumination, though it was easier to ascertain now that they were all unwounded, at least. The corridor stretched out in both directions.

“Well, now what?” Pyrrha sighed, shifting her stance worriedly.

“Jeanne will be fine,” Blake murmured. “She has the others looking after her.”

“Of course! I mean, I am worried for all of our companions!” Pyrrha smiled at her brightly, emerald eyes still filled with concern.

“As are we,” the Cat Faunus replied with a nod. “So, I suppose we should just pick a direction and see if we end up in the same place, yes?”

“That sounds agreeable,” Ren chimed in.

The three of them set out, Blake in the lead while Pyrrha brought up the rear. They encountered no other opposition as they crept along, unwilling to call out and attract enemies to their position.

“So, are we in a maze of some sort?” the redheaded Knight spoke up from behind.

“That does seem to be the case,” the half-Elf agreed. “Though I have never heard of a moving maze before.”

“Moving maze…” Blake paused, her brow furrowed. “It does move, doesn’t it…”

“Blake?” the Cleric murmured questioningly.

“I think we’re going about this all wrong,” the Cat Faunus replied quietly. “If the maze is moving, then they can just keep changing walls on us and herd us into more traps or ambushes. We need to get outside the maze.”

“How, precisely?” Pyrrha asked.

Blake shrugged uncomfortably. “Not sure on that part, but I’ll keep working on it.”

They continued forward until they ended up in a circular chamber with a slightly higher ceiling. Three other passageways led off. As soon as the trio entered, however, a wall slammed down across the corridor they’d just entered from, creating a seamless barricade.

“Well, this is lovely,” Pyrrha snarked as howls and pounding feet sounded from each of the other three exits. “Get behind me as best as you can.”

“We’re too exposed,” Blake stated worriedly, nocking an arrow and letting it fly down the leftmost corridor. She was rewarded with a scream of pain.

“Each of us can take a portal,” Ren stated calmly, twirling his staff about his body as he strode towards the center passage.

“Ren-” the redheaded Knight called out in protest, but she swallowed it as the first few lightly-armored Human berserkers came sailing out at the half-Elf Cleric.

With seemingly nonchalant ease, Ren dodged the strikes sent his way as he wielded his thin staff with skill and mastery far above what a mere Cleric should possess. Even though Blake was sending arrow after arrow down her assigned portal, she couldn’t help but keep an eye on the man’s dizzying display of martial prowess.

Ren dove and twirled about, laying into his foes with abandon. Cracked skulls, broken necks, and even a few kneecapped victims were left littering the floor by the time the dust settled.

“Sweet mother of Oum,” Pyrrha murmured incredulously. “Ren…? How did… I mean, what was that?”

Ren tilted his head as he walked towards the other pair. “I suppose an explanation is in order… May we wait for the others, though? I hear them moving down the middle, so long as the walls do not change again…”

They were rejoined by the rest of the fellowship in short order, Nora sailing in ahead of the party to glomp onto her boyfriend. Jeanne and Pyrrha met halfway, looking each other over for injuries. They smiled worriedly at each other while not physically touching.

Blake let out a huff of air as she was tackled by a red-cloaked brunette.

“You okay, Blakey?” Ruby asked, peering up with silver eyes filled with concern.

Blake smiled and returned the hug with only slight hesitance.  _ See, I’m getting better at this. _ “I am fine, thank you, Ruby. It would appear we were in good hands with Ren.”

“Oh, didja get to cut loose, Renny?” the orange-haired hammer-wielder burbled excitedly.

Pyrrha stepped over cautiously. “So you know about his skill, Nora?”

“Oh, sure!” she responded nonchalantly. “My Renny can take care of himself just fine, he just loves me enough to let me do it.”

“Yes, Nora,” he smiled indulgently before turning to the others. “Well, I can explain briefly… Are you aware of the Order of Oum?”

“Certainly,” the redheaded Knight replied evenly. “A more religiously-oriented Knightly order, few in numbers but highly skilled…” She trailed off, brow furrowed as she regarded the nodding half-Elf.

“That’s correct. They are mostly utilized to protect monasteries and pilgrimages, but oftentimes for more… warlike… activities of retribution and the like.”

“And you were a Knight of Oum,” Jeanne breathed, sapphire blue eyes wide with wonder.

Ren nodded once more, pulling a piece of cloth from behind his belt. It consisted of a gold field with a black hawk gripping a sword in the center.

“I got tired of the killing,” he stated softly. “Dedicated my life to Oum in a different fashion. But yes,” he smiled, “as Nora stated, I can handle myself.”

“Just full of surprises,” Ruby snickered, shaking her head. “So, then, we’re all together now. Where to?”

Blake cleared her throat. “I think we need to circumvent this maze. We cannot successfully navigate our way if they keep changing the pathways.”

“Okay,” Ruby agreed. “So how do we do that?”

Weiss pointed upwards, drawing attention to herself. “We go up.”

“Up?” Nora asked skeptically. “How do we know it isn’t solid rock?”

“They must control the mechanism from somewhere,” Weiss replied reasonably. “Since the walls go up, it must be up there.”

“Whelp, sounds like a plan,” the orange-haired warrior giggled, hefting her hammer eagerly.

“Wait!” the Elf implored. “Please don’t just… go smashing down the ceiling, we might cause a collapse. Allow me, please?”

Nora shrugged with only a trace of reluctance. “Yep, go ahead!”

Weiss paced the room, peering up at the domed ceiling. “Yang, sweetie, would you be able to lift me up into the center?”

“You betcha,” the blonde grinned. “Now?”

“Yes, please.”

“Don’t you have that levitate spell?” Blake asked curiously as Yang bent down to grasp her girlfriend by the ankles.

“I need to be able to move about, and it will be difficult to concentrate on both of these activities…  _ Eep _ !”

The Elven Mage let out a startled yelp as she was hoisted up, tottering unsteadily as Yang pulled her up and onto her shoulders.

“Very well, then,” Weiss squeaked, holding her arms out to the sides to stabilize herself. “Er, right here please, and then begin to walk backwards when I tell you to… Everyone else should move into the corridor behind us as well… And Yang?”

“Yeah, babe?”

“Stop looking up my skirt.”

The blonde snickered unrepentantly but looked back down in compliance.

As the others moved back, Weiss placed her hand upon the ceiling. The stone there glowed white briefly as she murmured directions down to the Gold, who moved her steadily backwards. After only a few moments, Weiss was back down on the floor and scurrying towards cover with the rest.

It began in a trickle, then quickly evolved into a downpouring of sand as the stone disintegrated. Soon enough there was a sizable mound built up as the ceiling stabilized, the sand trailing off to a trickle once more.

“That’s it, then?” Ruby asked.

“Perhaps,” Weiss stated nervously. “We should wait a bit. Just in case it’s not yet done.”

“Sweetie, I think it’s finished,” Yang said soothingly, rubbing the Mage’s back reassuringly. “What, are you afraid of a cave-in?”

Weiss turned her head slightly to glare up at the taller woman. “I am an Elf. We are not meant to be underground like this.”

The blonde chuckled and leaned over to place a kiss on her lover’s forehead. “You are so cute,” she murmured.

“Alright, let’s move out of here,” Ruby grinned, trotting forward to scramble up the mound.

It was a bit difficult for the more heavily-armored of the group to climb out, but between Yang’s strength and Weiss’ telekinesis they managed to all assemble up top eventually. Spread out before them was what looked to be a vast, low cavern with patterns along the irregular floor. Here and there a wall jutted upwards, and mechanisms littered the landscape to allow for the maze’s reconfigurations.

“This is quite the architectural accomplishment,” Weiss stated quietly as they moved towards where they could see a red light emanating from.

“Yeah, Dragons can be like that,” Yang chuckled. “Especially the ones who like to flaunt their superiority and intelligence.”

“Well, at least you’re not that way, dear,” Weiss smirked.

“Yeah, I’d like to think… Wait, are you mocking me?”

“Who, me? Certainly not!”

Yang sighed heavily over the snickers of the rest of the fellowship. “Ruby, I think I’m being mocked here.”

“Yang, I might have to agree with you,” the brunette giggled.

By that point, they’d reached the end, and dropped down into a small chamber that opened up into a larger cavern, seemingly filled with lava at the bottom of a chasm.

“Whoo, gettin’ hot in here!” Nora laughed, fanning her face. “I say we let the fire-immune Dragons go first.”

“What, you don’t want to test your own invulnerability?” Yang teased as she stepped past.

Nora opened her mouth with a grin to reply, but Ren laid a restraining hand on her arm. “No, Nora.”

“Aww, but Renny…”

Ruby and Yang cautiously made their way out and onto what seemed to be a raised pathway leading to the exit on the other end. It was wide enough for three of them to walk abreast if they weren’t concerned with falling into the molten rock many feet below. They reached the other side without incident and waved the others forward.

The remainder of the party started along the pathway, Jeanne bringing up the rear guard this time. Halfway across, a low growling sounded from somewhere.

“Uh-oh,” Yang murmured, turning to Ruby with wide eyes. “I just remembered a favorite pet of Reds…”

“Oum’s bloody balls,” Ruby groaned, extending her scythe. “Hellhounds.” She and Yang stepped to either side of the path as she called out for the others to hurry.

They scampered past, Ren muttering a hurried “Language!” as he ran by, just as the fiery beasts found purchase upon the path. There were four of them, and they stalked forward eagerly two-by-two.

Jeanne let out a  _ yelp _ as she noticed the company and turned, shield upraised as she continued to move backwards at a cautious pace while the others escaped.

“Ruby, go,” the blonde called out. “I’ll help Jeanne, you make sure there’s nothing waiting for us in there!”

The brunette nodded, darting forward and into the next chamber. It was fairly large, though the only exit had a large, round door that seemed to be operated by a wheel set into the center of it. No other danger present, Ruby turned and motioned the others past her.

By the time she made it back to the entrance, Pyrrha was still standing there anxiously, poised on her toes to charge in. There simply wasn’t room for her to do so, however, as Jeanne and Yang stood together, trading blows with the giant demonic canines. Yang was wisely out in front, shielding Jeanne from the flaming breath of the hellhounds while the other blonde would dart in with a quick piercing attack with her sword.

Blake stood just behind Pyrrha with her bow out, though she was fairly certain that even her enchanted arrows would be ineffectual against the Hellspawn creatures.

“Yang! Jeanne!” the brunette yelled. “Come on! We can fight them from here!”

Nodding, Yang indicated for Jeanne to start heading back, but just as she turned to do so, all four hellhounds pounced as one.

The Gold growled angrily as she was latched onto by the demonic monsters. She managed to kick one back over the edge but then landed on her back as she stumbled. With an angry roar, the blonde lashed out, sending a pair of them sailing backwards and over the head of the retreating squire. They crashed against the cavern wall above the corridor the others were in, causing a rumble to shake the ground.

“Back!” Ruby urged, setting words into motion as the rock face began to give way.

“No!” Pyrrha screamed anxiously. “Jeanne!”

Ruby grabbed the redhead by the arm and hauled her from the collapsing tunnel behind Blake. “It’s okay! She’s with Yang!”

“But-”

“Pyrrha, she’s a Dragon, she can protect Jeanne, alright?”

The Knight stood in the middle of the chamber in silence for a moment before giving herself a shake. “Right. Let’s move on, then, and hopefully we shall meet back up with them soon.”

They approached the next portal warily, the Faunus Rogue searching for traps but finding none. Nora set her muscles to work and cranked the wheel to unlock the door, opening it for the others to peer ahead for trouble.

“Looks clear,” Blake murmured. “But I believe the door shall seal behind us. It has a counterweight.”

“Well, there’s a wheel on this side too, so we should be okay.” Ruby pursed her lips as she looked the circular door over. “Odd design.”

“Like on a ship,” Weiss murmured. Her almond-shaped pale blue eyes were crinkled slightly with worry, though she gave no voice to her fears. She knew Yang could handle herself, deep down, but there was always the small anxiety of being separated from her lover now.

The six of them traipsed through the door, hearing it slam shut behind them and the wheel turn by itself. Once it was finished, and they were halfway to the next intersection, a low rumbling began to sound.

“What is that?” the Elven Mage asked in concern.

“I dunno, but let’s step it up,” Ruby ordered, setting a brisk pace as they surged forward. She ignored the side branches since they sloped downward, instead heading straight ahead. 

They exited the corridor into another large, circular chamber. In the middle stood what looked to be a giant tube made of metal that stretched from floor to ceiling. 

“What now?” Nora asked, walking over to the tube and peering inside. “Hey, it’s a long way up. And there’s a lever inside here, maybe it’s another mechanism of some sort?”

“Could be…” Ruby was chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “I think I’ve read about something like this…”

“That noise is getting louder,” Blake advised.

“Yeah, it’s coming from in here,” Nora’s voice echoed hollowly from the tube. “Actually, it-”

She cut off with a surprised shout as water began to geyser out of the tube from the floor. As the water rushed up and out, a door began to descend to seal the tube off.

“We gotta get in there!” Ruby shouted, racing forward across the now-slippery flooring. “That’s what it is, it’s a water trap!”

The five outside tried to run, but most ended up falling down from the effort as more and more water began gushing out. Nora staggered towards the entrance of the tube and dropped her hammer to the side, bracing her legs apart and pushing up on the descending door with her arms.

“ _ Graaahhh _ !” she roared. “Come on, I can’t hold this for long! And the platform is starting to rise!”

The brunette hurtled herself inside next, lunging for the lever inside and muscling it back once more to keep the platform locked in place. “Okay, I got this!” she shouted. “Hurry!”

Blake slid to the side, desperately trying to find purchase, before one of her flailing arms caught on another hand. Startled, she looked up to see Weiss gripping her frantically, while she, in turn, was anchored by Pyrrha on the edge of the tube.

The Elf strained to haul her in, but simply didn’t have the muscle strength to do so. With a sudden shout, the redhead hauled backwards, sending the both of them through the door past Nora.

The Cat Faunus landed in a wet pile atop Weiss, sputtering at the water surging upwards and into their faces. The waterline was knee-deep to Ruby by now, who looked to be seriously straining, the muscles in her neck and arms bulging.

“Hurry!” she gritted out.

As soon as Blake tried to regain her footing, it was lost again as Ren was sent hurtling into her. Pyrrha followed, clattering to the floor and coughing wetly.

“Nora!” the brunette shouted, her voice strained.

But the orange-haired girl had been steadily losing ground to the onrushing water, and her stance was now tenuous at best with her feet further out into the room. There was a  _ clank _ as her hammer was swept away by the current.

Nora looked at her lover with bright turquoise eyes. “Be safe, Renny!” she called out sadly, before letting the current carry her out. The door slammed down with explosive force, and the pressure suddenly became unbearable for the Silver who was flung from the lever.

The five of them were pinned to the ground as the platform shot skyward, water streaming away until their meteoric rise slowed to something a little more sedate.

Blake rolled over, meeting the somber eyes of her half-Elven friend. “Ren…”

“She’ll be fine,” he murmured, a tenuous smile on his face. “She always is.”

“Of course she will be,” Pyrrha stated bracingly, helping them to their feet one by one. “That girl is unstoppable.”

“I only worry about how much trouble she will get into without me there,” Ren joked weakly, lifting his staff off of the floor and shaking the water from it.

Ruby rested her hand on his shoulder briefly before turning to the others. “Okay, unless I’m mistaken, this will take us up to the main chamber. Let’s be ready for a fight.”

“With this group?” Weiss laughed, wringing her sodden white hair out. “I’m  _ always _ ready for a fight.”

The platform slowed with a grinding noise, and then they were at the top. A door in front of them slid upwards noisily to reveal another stone-lined chamber. This one was well-lit by torches, allowing all of them to see the forces arrayed against them.

They stepped out, arrayed in a semicircle with Ruby in the center to face a rather large group of Lizardmen armed with a variety of weapons. As soon as they exited the tube, one of the bipedal coldblooded creatures barked out something in a guttural tongue, and a crossbow string hummed. 

Blake stepped to the side to dodge the attack, but she wasn’t the target. Instead, she heard a pained gasp come from beside her. Ruby staggered back, her scythe falling to the side as she clutched a crossbow bolt embedded in her shoulder.

The raven-haired girl’s eyes widened in shock. How could a simple bolt even affect the Silver? But there was no denying that the brunette was mortally wounded as she collapsed backwards in a limp heap.

“Ruby!” she shouted anxiously, dropping her bow to slide down by the wounded girl.

_ No… No no no I can’t lose her already, I haven’t… We haven’t even… I have to tell her… _

Ren was there as well, his brow furrowed as Pyrrha and Weiss moved over to cover them. “I don’t understand,” he murmured in confusion.

Blake gave a start as a bloody hand closed over hers where she grasped Ruby’s arm. Silver eyes, clouded with pain, stared up at her as the brunette whispered a word that made her blood turn to ice in her veins. 

“Dragonsbane...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, shitbiscuits. Not only have I tossed the fellowship all over the place, now I leave things on a cliffhanger. ‘Cause, yeah, I’m evil like that. 
> 
> One of my inspirations for this story are the excellent works by David Eddings. I took the idea of the maze in this particular chapter from his Tamuli series of books. The water trap was kinda my own idea, though.
> 
> Stay tuned for next week’s installment and the last chapter in this volume! Who lives? Who dies? Who got to punch a hellhound in the mouth? (Three guesses as to the last one, and the first two don’t count.)


	20. The Road Not Taken

**Volume 2**

 

**Mountain Glenn  
** **Cinder’s Lair**

“They say dragons never truly die. No matter how many times you kill them.”   
~ Suzanne G. Rogers, Jon Hansen and the Dragon Clan of Yden

 

Pyrrha glanced behind her worriedly as the Lizardmen forces began to warily approach. They seemed hesitant to engage the shrunken party, perhaps waiting on the expiration of a certain wounded brunette.

“Blake,” she called out anxiously. “Is she alright?”

The redhead started at the muted scream that was torn from Ruby’s throat. “I don’t know,” the Cat Faunus replied, her voice laden with concern. “Ren just pulled the bolt out, but the poison is already in her…”

Letting a low growl fill her chest, the redheaded Knight faced her opponents once more. The use of poison was a despicable and cowardly act, and specifically targeting her friend and companion with Dragonsbane, the one thing guaranteed to bring her low, was simply unconscionable.

“I believe we should show these scum what it means to mess with us,” Weiss stated in a tight, controlled tone.

“Indeed,” Pyrrha agreed, her own voice full of fury by this point. “Blake?”

The Faunus Rogue stepped up on the other side of Pyrrha. Her bow and quiver had been left behind, instead filling her hands with daggers. “Let’s do this,” she snarled hotly.

She didn’t bother with a warcry or any other formal warning of the engagement of hostilities, merely surging forward with her companions on either side of her. A cold blast of ice pushed past her face as Weiss froze several Lizardmen on that flank into solid blocks of ice, while Blake leapt high over the heads of her opponents, coming down in a whirl to slice viciously into muscle and tendon.

Pyrrha had her own hands full, however. She aptly blocked a pair of strikes from the side, twisting her shield  _ Akouo  _ to entangle the two swordsmen, while  _ Milo  _ whistled out and across, slashing through the throats of another couple of enemies. While the mortally wounded creatures fell, she spun, reversing her grip on her sword to eviscerate both of the first pair.

Spinning back to her feet, she allowed one leg to shoot to the side, sending an incautious opponent stumbling away and into the sharp point of Weiss’ rapier. The redhead turned the kick into a step forward, bashing her shield into one cold-blooded creature’s face while her sword darted out to impale another who was swinging a greatsword overhead.

She was forced to retreat as three spear-wielding Lizardmen thrust at her in concert, but such distractions were minor at best. Grinning viciously, her sword flashed out to sever the heads of two of the spears while her shield caught the blade of the third. Once inside their guard, she made quick work of them.

Just then a sharp pain echoed through her head as a guttural voice spoke rhythmically. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a robed Lizardman twisting his claws in a complicated pattern.

_ Wonderful, a spellcaster. _ Well, she knew how to deal with those easily enough.

Gritting her teeth against the agony of the mental attack, she charged forward and slammed into her tormenter. The Mage broke off his attack as his concentration was also broken, and then he was left lying in a pool of his own blood in short order.

But the distraction had been enough to give her opponents the advantage. She was nearly swarmed under, the growling beastly humanoids, their scaly skin glistening and hot, clawing and striking at her from all sides.

And were she alone, she might have fallen right there and then. But a respite was quickly delivered as some of her attackers were sent howling in pain away from a furiously slashing Cat Faunus, while others staggered to the side as they slowly immolated from within.

Pyrrha winced slightly at the latter. No matter how many times she saw her friend do that, she was very glad that the Elven Mage was on their side. It was a ghastly way to go out.

Another of the towering reptilian humanoids rushed at her, slashing his dual swords with considerable agility. She twisted to the side, deflecting one with her shield as  _ Milo _ battered the other away, but before she could perform a counterattack she felt a sharp burn in her left arm, rendering that appendage useless.

Growling in irritation, the Knight backpedaled to gain some distance from her opponent while looking over at the crossbow bolt sticking from her upper arm, having pierced straight through both armor and aura.  _ Blast it, must have severed a muscle… _ With her good hand, still clutching her sword, she managed to undo the straps holding her shield in place so that it might drop to the ground. The dual-wielding Lizardman grinned widely as he pursued her across the blood-stained floor.

If he thought the redheaded woman was now easy prey, she was more than willing to disabuse him of that notion.

Unencumbered by a shield she could no longer raise, Pyrrha met the creature’s charge with a resounding clash of metal. Her sword flew about furiously, striking and counterstriking, easily able to block any attack sent her way. She deftly twisted  _ Milo _ in her grip, disarming the Lizardman of one of his swords, while allowing the other to skitter off of her armor. The redhead leaned in, smashing her elbow into his face to stun him before flipping her sword in her hands, reversing her grip to impale the taller reptilian humanoid, ripping to the side as she leaned forward to ensure a mortal wound.

Breathing heavily, the Knight paused to see how her companions were faring. Blake was still flinging herself among their enemy without caution, her raven-colored tail and tresses streaming behind her as she deftly slipped inside the Lizardmen’s guard to eviscerate and dismember. Meanwhile, Weiss was fighting with far more control, employing precise slashes with her rapier and decisive spears of ice flung to impale the foes arrayed against her.

Pyrrha took one long step forward to slice through the abdomen of an opponent trying to sneak up behind the platinum-haired Elf. She then stepped to the side, her injured arm facing the Mage as the pair of them paused to catch their breath.

“Are you well?” Weiss asked worriedly, glancing at her bloodied arm with the bolt still protruding from it.

“Well enough,” the redhead replied calmly. “Not many left in any case.”

The mismatched adventurers, one tall and armored while the other diminutive and skirted, observed the third member of their combat team as she continued to slaughter all those who tried to stand against her.

“Granted,” Weiss mused, “I don’t think Blake will leave many for us.”

“Indeed,” Pyrrha smirked slightly. “But we should not allow her all the fun.”

“True enough. Shall we?”

“Yes, we shall. After you.”

“Why thank you, gracious Knight,” the Elf grinned before speeding towards the flank of the wavering line of Lizardmen.

With so few opponents left, Pyrrha tried to pace herself so as not to exacerbate the blood loss from her wound. As it was, she was beginning to feel a bit light-headed, but shook it off as she waded forward, sword flashing in the torchlight. One opponent’s head went sailing off to the side while another defender’s sword dropped to the floor, followed by first his arm and then his lifeless body. The Faunus Rogue was beginning to tire, her violent onslaught slowing as she resorted to more stabs and thrusts, fewer spinning slashes. The Mistralian Knight of Artemis drifted in Blake’s direction to provide support, standing side by side as their opposition began to wilt.

The Cat Faunus’ amber eyes darted over towards her, taking in her appearance. “You’re injured,” she noted flatly, twisting to the side to avoid a spear thrust.

“Everyone feels the need to make a thing about it,” Pyrrha sighed, blocking a sword strike before looping her blade around to disarm her opponent, deftly thrusting through the taller creature’s heart.

“I suppose you do tend to sustain your fair share of injuries,” Blake deadpanned. She somersaulted backwards as a greataxe descended to where she’d just been crouched. With impressive dexterity, she reversed her action to come up standing on the haft of the axe, slashing outwards to slice through the wielder’s throat before hopping backwards once more. “We should be used to it by now,” she continued with a very small smirk.

“A common enough occurrence,” Weiss agreed, clashing with another sword-bearing Lizardman.

Pyrrha sighed, spinning around to eviscerate one of the creatures who had tried to flank them. “I cannot believe you are both making fun of me in the middle of combat,” she lamented mildly.

“It is only because we love you, dear,” the Elven Mage giggled, hopping back as a spearman tried to advance on her. With an irritated flick of her free hand, the reptilian humanoid burst into flames.

“Yes,” the redheaded Knight smiled, surveying the now-still room. “I certainly feel the love.”

Blake, though, only had eyes for the back of the room where Ruby lay, Ren still crouched over her still form. There was an incredible amount of blood pooling underneath them.

“Oum,” the Faunus Rogue choked out before darting forward, both Pyrrha and Weiss on her heels.

“It looks worse than it really is,” the Cleric stated as they approached, his eyes closed in concentration. “I believe I have removed most of the Dragonsbane, but her injury is extensive.”

“And if we are at the top of the lair,” Weiss added, “then the Orb is nearby, likely adding to her vulnerability.”

“Of course,” Pyrrha exclaimed, turning back around to survey the room. Unfortunately, the motion jarred her wound once more, and now that she wasn’t hyped up on adrenaline, an involuntary gasp of pain was torn from her throat.

Ren cracked an eye open briefly at the sound. “Weiss, I have a potion in my belt pouch, blue label. Blake, you will need to remove the bolt first. Please hurry, any longer and she will require my services, which I cannot provide anytime soon.”

Blake nodded rapidly as she turned to Pyrrha, her amber eyes shining with concern for both of her friends. “You should bite down on something,” she stated softly, placing a gentle hand on Pyrrha’s good shoulder.

The redheaded Knight sighed wearily, slipping a spare shield strap out of her pouch. “Allow me to sit, please.”

“I think that would be wise.”

Propped up against the wall, Pyrrha laid her sword by her side, blade reversed as she gripped the hilt tightly. The strip of leather was already clenched in between her teeth as her face was set in grim determination.

“Ready?” the Faunus girl murmured.

As soon as she nodded, Blake pulled with all of her might. A hoarse scream was torn from her throat, muffled by the leather strap, and her vision was filled with red. Blinking rapidly past the tears of pain, she noted with some dismay that her blood was now covering the Cat Faunus, who was desperately pressing at her arm beneath the armor plate to try and staunch the increased blood flow.

“Weiss!” the frantic Rogue called out.

“Here,” a soft voice interjected as the white-clad Mage knelt at her side, heedless of the bloody ground. “Pyrrha, give me the strap…”

The Knight spat the leather from her mouth, gasping at the pain that coursed through her body. Every nerve ending seemed aflame as she closed her eyes, tears streaming down unabated as she tried not to scream again. Dimly, she lamented the number of rends her beautiful armor now bore, from the great gap across her upper chest to her left shoulder spaulder, and now a rather large hole punched into her left rerebrace.  _ Strange the things I will latch onto to distract myself... _

And then a bottle was pressed to her lips, cool and refreshing liquid pouring down her throat. She gulped greedily at the elixir as the pain quickly receded, and her emerald eyes opened once more.

The empty potion bottle was removed, and she smiled wanly at the concerned faces of her companions.

“Girls,” she sighed. “I do believe I am done with being wounded so.”

Weiss smiled. “You do tend to attract your fair share of wounds.”

“For a master swordswoman,” Blake added with a smirk, “one would think you capable of dodging better.” She raised her hands defensively as the redhead shot her a mock glare. “And by no means was that an offer to duel.”

Pyrrha snickered softly, turning her head to check on her arm. It was now functional, though it twinged a bit as she flexed her muscles. Her aura would do the rest of the work, given enough time. 

And then her gaze drifted up to observe where Ruby still lay, breathing shallowly. “I don’t believe there is anything we can do for her right now,” she stated quietly. “Perhaps we can locate the Orb in the meantime.”

“Right,” Blake responded levelly, standing up and offering a helping hand. “I suppose the activity would help.”

The three of them stood in the center of the room, their gazes sharp and probing. Chests of various types, colors, and sizes lined the walls, while a long bookcase along the far wall had numerous scrolls and tomes lining the shelves.

“Most of the Lizardmen are piled up in one location,” Pyrrha observed, her emerald eyes narrowed. “In front of those three chests.”

“Likely where the good stuff is stored,” Blake agreed. Her Faunus ears flickered while the fingers of her right hand rapped out an irregular tattoo against her thigh. “No offense, girls, but I think you should all stand back by Ruby while I check for traps.”

“Are you that uncertain of your skill?” the platinum-haired Elf inquired curiously.

“Not at all,” Blake smirked. “But any trap set by a Dragon…”

“Oum,” the redhead breathed. “Yes, better safe than sorry.”

Weiss paused to grip the Faunus Rogue’s arm. “Be careful,” she whispered, her caution answered with a simple nod.

Pyrrha felt particularly helpless as she stood by with her recovered shield in hand, sword sheathed at her side. While Weiss balanced her gaze between Blake and Ruby, the redheaded Knight couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from the raven-haired woman. In any case, it served as an able distraction from her worry over Jeanne.

_ She will be fine, she is with Yang… She has a Gold Dragon looking out for her, for Oum’s sake… _

With an irritated huff of air, Pyrrha pushed her despondent thoughts aside to focus on the Cat Faunus, who seemed in no hurry to examine the chests up close. She meandered in a wide circle, examining the chest on the right first. It was a light wood, medium-sized container with iron bindings and a simple-looking hasp lock on the front.

“Out of curiosity,” Pyrrha called out softly as Blake crouched down, still several feet away, to examine her target from a new angle. “Why that one first?”

Blake shrugged, not moving her eyes from the scrutiny she was engaged in. “Superficially, it seemed the easiest. I’m using it as a test.”

“A test?”

“I can gauge the lethality of the others by how bad the traps on this one is.”

The redhead shared a glance with the Elf at her side. “Are they all trapped?” she returned hesitantly.

Blake gave a low chuckle. “Oh, yes, that much is certain. Here, can you assist me with something please?”

“Of course,” Pyrrha stated, striding forward while slinging her shield across her back. Her arm twinged slightly at the motion, but she pushed it aside. “What may I help with?”

“Can you grab one of the bodies and drop it right over there?”

She peered towards where the Rogue pointed, one of the large stone tiles that looked similar to all the others that lined the floor of the room, save for that this one was directly in front of the chest Blake was examining. “Er… certainly…”

With a slight grunt of effort, Pyrrha began to drag the nearest body over. Fortunately, it was missing both a head and an arm, making it slightly lighter. If such a thing could be said for a seven-foot, three-hundred-pound reptilian humanoid.

She groaned as she shifted her weight under the body, hefting it up and onto her shoulders before sending it at the tile with a heave. As soon as it hit, several sharpened spear shafts from previously-concealed holes in the ground burst upwards, only to slowly retract once more.

Pyrrha let out a surprised  _ squawk  _ as she stumbled backwards to land on her rear.

“Well, that’s good,” Blake murmured, not fazed in the slightest. “No poison. I suppose it’d get expensive replacing the help that accidentally triggered that…”

“Yes, fortunate indeed,” the redhead breathed, shaking her head. “Er, what’s next?”

“I’d like to try it once more, but this time we’d need to get back in a hurry,” Blake mused, turning towards the chest in the center. It was flat-topped and oaken in color, bound with brass and with an inset locking mechanism. “The tile directly in front of that one. I should help you, though…”

“Girls,” a light voice sounded from behind them. “I have this.”

Weiss smirked at them as she twirled her finger, raising a corpse upon a glowing white glyph.

“Handy, that,” the Faunus Rogue returned her smirk. “Okay, let’s get back some…”

Pyrrha and Blake stepped behind the Mage as she sent the floating body forward. As soon as it was above the tile she dispelled the glyph, allowing it to drop to the floor.

And the corpse exploded into fiery ash.

Weiss turned to the others, her pale blue eyes wide with shock. “Was that… expected?”

“Eh,” Blake shrugged. “More or less.”

The Elf pinched the bridge of her nose in consternation. “This is going to take all bloody day, isn’t it?”

“Not at all!” Blake replied with muted cheer, stalking forward. “We got the big ones out of the way. Next up are the sneaky ones, like venomous spiders, collapsing ceilings, poison darts, revolving blades, gas… Oooh, this one time there was a trap door, led right down into a water-filled cavern filled with crocodiles of all things. Can you imagine?”

The Faunus woman turned, her smile fading away at the looks of unmitigated horror on her friends’ faces. “Guys, relax!” she murmured reassuringly. “I’ve got this!”

“Right,” Weiss whispered, inching backwards. “Still, you don’t mind if I just… er… watch our rear for ambushes and the like, do you?”

“Not at all,” Blake chuckled lightly. “Oh, Pyrrha, if you don’t feel the need to… guard the rear… I believe I noticed a secret door over by the bookshelf. Pull on the wall sconce to the left of the shelf.”

The redhead shook her head bemusedly as she walked over. “Full of surprises,” she murmured. 

The iron ring didn’t look much different from the matching ones on the walls, some holding torches and others not, However, once she looked more closely, she could, in fact, see faint scratches around the base.

With a determined glint in her eye, she drew her sword and gave the ring a tug.

The wall directly in front of her rumbled backwards before sliding to the side. Before her lay a dark tunnel that seemed to stretch out for a bit before making a turn.

“Seems clear,” she called out.

At a loud  _ click _ from behind her, she turned partially to see Blake with her head hovering over the now-open pale wood chest. “Ooooh, this is nice,” Blake giggled.

“Anything good?” Weiss asked humorously.

“Well… a few baubles and trinkets… a bag of gems… Mmm, this looks important…” As she talked, she sat several items to the side, including the small bag that  _ clinked _ as it was set down, a necklace made up of multicolored beads, and a sheathed dagger. “A rather large bag filled with… oh, poo, just common copper pieces, not even gold lien.”

“Did you seriously just say, ‘oh, poo’?” Weiss snickered, drawing closer now that the imminent possibility of quick expiration had passed.

“Hush,” Blake replied absentmindedly. “Okay, this looks… Here, Weiss, what do you make of this?”

She set a plain silver ring into the Elf’s hand, who closed her fist around it and shut her eyes, concentrating.

“Er… medium-level enchantment… no, wait, it’s medium but with numerous charges… Oh!” Her eyes flew open as a wide grin spread across her face. “It’s a Ring of Invisibility!”

“Dibs,” Blake called out tersely as she snatched the ring back out of Weiss’ now-open palm before she could even react.

“Really?’ Pyrrha snickered.

“I’m a Rogue,” the Faunus replied loftily. “Who else would have a use for a ring that would make them invisible?”

“I daresay any number of us could find a use for it,” Weiss pouted slightly.

“True,” the raven-haired girl conceded with a smirk. “But… now I have it.”

“I imagine you didn’t work overmuch in a team when you were, er… thieving, did you?” Pyrrha grinned.

“Not terribly often, no.” Blake sighed as she stood up, brushing her black leather pants off. “Right, well that’s all the usable stuff from there. Let’s take it back by Ruby, and then I can work on the middle one.”

“What about the one on the left?” Pyrrha asked curiously as she picked up the bag of gems.

“It’s fake,” the Rogue replied nonchalantly. “Actually, I think it’s just one big trap.”

Weiss glanced nervously over her shoulder at the innocuous-looking small golden chest. “Er, what would happen if you were to open it?”

“No idea.” Blake shrugged as she set the dagger and necklace down. “Likely something really, really bad. So, Weiss, can you see what those two are while I work?”

“Certainly,” the Mage responded, shaking off her unease. She picked up the necklace first, holding it in her hands again with her eyes closed as the Faunus Rogue headed back towards the other chest.

Pyrrha looked over at where Ren was still bent over Ruby. The brunette looked a bit healthier now, and the blood seemed to have stopped flowing. “Ren?” she called out softly. “Is there anything at all we can do? A potion, perhaps?”

The half-Elf Cleric shook his head slowly without opening his eyes. “Healing potions don’t work on Dragons,” he replied simply.

“Oh,” she murmured, disappointed. The redhead turned next to regard Blake, who seemed to be crouched over the chest and mumbling to herself.

“Weiss,” she began curiously. “What is she doing?”

“Apparently, talking to the chest,” Weiss replied levelly. “Like it’s a petulant toddler, of all things. Alright, this is an interesting necklace. Protection of some sort, I believe elemental. Since the beads are warm-colored, reds and oranges and the like, I’m going to assume either mere heat or fire itself.”

“That is quite impressive that you can do that,” Pyrrha remarked as the Elf placed the necklace to the side.

She blushed lightly in response. “Er, thank you. It’s a bit of a talent of mine.”

“You could go into business with Blake, help her evaluate her stolen goods.”

Weiss paused with the dagger in hand. “Hmm,” she mused thoughtfully. “I wonder how much lien would be in that?”

Pyrrha giggled lightly. “I suppose you would have to ask her.”

“I suppose so… remind me to bring that up with her, please.”

“Of course.”

“Now, this dagger… minor enchantment only, I’m afraid… Oh!” Weiss held the dagger up by the handle and slipped the sheath from the blade. She examined it closely as if searching for something.

“There has to be a phrase here…” Her murmurs were cut off at a startled  _ yelp _ from Blake. Both of their heads whipped around to see the chagrined Faunus shaking her hand out while grinning ruefully. 

“Sorry, I’m fine!” she called out. “Caught the edge of a shock trap. That would have  _ really _ smarted if I got it full-on!”

“On second thought,” Weiss mumbled, “forget I said anything about working with her.”

“Yes, dear,” Pyrrha murmured humorously. “You were looking for a phrase of some sort?”

“There should be one, yes…”

“What about on the sheath there?”

Weiss sighed as she looked at the small leather scabbard in her other hand. “Yes, that would be it, thank you Pyrrha… Oh, well, that’s simple.  _ Lumos _ .”

At the spoken word, the dagger began to glow softly with a white light.

“Very nice,” Pyrrha smiled appreciatively. “Er… how do you turn it off?”

Weiss chewed briefly on her bottom lip before repeating “ _ Lumos _ ” once more, and the illumination faded away.

“Is it warm to the touch?” the redhead inquired.

“No, not at all. This is fairly useful, if somewhat minor.”

“Well, just don’t let Blake get at it first.”

“She can’t seem to help herself sometimes, can she?” Weiss sighed bemusedly.

“I suppose not.” Pyrrha settled back, her eyes now focused back on the Rogue who seemed to be crouched in front of the lock now. The platinum-haired Elf shited over so that she was next to her.

“They’re all going to be fine,” the Elven Mage whispered softly.

“Yes,” Pyrrha murmured. “Yes, they will be.”

She felt Weiss’ small hand creep over to rest atop hers on the ground, and she smiled, turning her hand over to share a reassuring grip.

“As will Ruby,” the redhead added.

“Of course,” Weiss replied with forced nonchalance. “She got us this far, she will not allow anything so mundane to stop her.”

“Indeed.”

On the other side of the room, Blake suddenly froze, her tools clattering to the floor. “Oops.”

“Blake?” the redhead called out anxiously, releasing Weiss’ hand to begin levering herself up. “What is wrong?”

“Er…” The Cat Faunus turned with a hesitant smile. “I… might have triggered another trap.”

Weiss had gotten to her feet as well by this point. “Should we run or come help?” she inquired nervously.

“Neither… yet… Ren, by any chance, do you still have that potion for removing poisons?”

Ren cracked an eyelid open curiously. “I do. It would not have had an effect on Ruby.”

“Good, good… Weiss, be a dear and grab that, please… Pyrrha, stand in front of the others with your shield up, if you don’t mind?”

“You are being awfully calm about this,” Pyrrha stated, slipping her shield from around her back. “And that worries me. What is this trap you have triggered?”

“Well, you see…” Blake gave them a slightly-too-wide grin. “As soon as I remove my hand from here, I expect to be hit with poison gas. Hopefully just a small amount, allow it to dispel before approaching me, if you would. But I do believe there are darts as well behind the chest that I just now noticed, so as soon as I fall over from the gas, they will shoot out into the room.”

“Can you not hold your breath?” Pyrrha asked nervously.

“No, I can smell it still in its inert form, I recognize the type, it’s ingested through the skin.” Blake smiled wanly. “It’s fairly lethal after fifteen minutes or so.”

“That’s… awfully specific,” Weiss commented, her eyes wide as she clutched the bottle of sickly-looking liquid to her chest. “Are you certain?”

“Oh, yes, quite certain. So, then… er… Wish me luck?”

Her friends nodded at her solemnly. Blake took a deep breath and threw herself away. A puff of greenish gas shot out after her, engulfing her form as she tried to roll backwards to no avail. Pyrrha was forced to avert her gaze as several whistling sounds made her duck, the clattering of the darts against her shield and the wall making quite the racket.

Quickly the redhead stood back up, glancing around. She’d managed to protect the others from the projectiles, which was a good thing as even she could see the gleam of poison on the tips.

And then she spied the raven-haired Faunus, huddled in a tight ball on the floor, unmoving.

“Oum,” she breathed, looking up at the ceiling. The green gas was already being wafted away by unseen currents into what looked to be a slit in the ceiling, so she rushed forward, Weiss on her heels.

“Blake?” she called out anxiously, trying to roll her friend over. The Faunus seemed to be rigidly locked into a fetal position, her arms wrapped around her stomach and face screwed up in pain.

“Pyrrha, pry her mouth open,” Weiss instructed hurriedly. The redhead quickly complied, shifting the balled-up Cat Faunus up and slowly pulling her lips and jaw apart.

“Come on, sweetie,” Pyrrha coaxed quietly as she worked. “Just a little more… Weiss, is that enough?”

“It will have to be,” the Elf stated, reaching across with the unstoppered vial. She upended it and let it trickle down the Faunus’ throat.

Blake began to swallow convulsively before coughing slightly. Gradually her limbs uncurled.and her body began to relax, swallowing the potion down all the while.

Eventually, her face screwed up in distaste, though she gently took the bottle from Weiss and upended it entirely. As she finished swallowing, her tongue stuck out.

“Oum’s balls, that tastes awful!” Blake groaned.

“Language!” Ren called out absentmindedly.

“Oh, whatever,” the raven-haired woman sighed, rolling onto all fours. “Gah. Seriously, it’s like I just drank straight from a Goblin’s diarrhetic ass.”

“How… poetic,” Pyrrha grinned, getting back to her feet. “Are you well now?”

“I will be,” she sighed, accepting a hand up. “Thanks for that, by the way. Alright, so let’s see what my near-death experience gave us, shall we?”

She made her way back over the the chest, weaving slightly. Pyrrha stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her in support while Weiss walked behind.

The three of them stopped at the now-open chest, peering within at the single object nestled on a black velvet cushion.

“Well,” Blake murmured.

“Indeed,” Pyrrha breathed. 

The Elf nodded slowly. “I suppose that’s it, then? Er… I thought it’d be bigger.”

“It’s just as well, really,” the redheaded Knight murmured thoughtfully, tilting her head to regard the fist-sized opaque blue orb. “Easier to transport.”

The three of them stood consideringly for almost a full minute.

“So, who’s going to try touching it first?” Weiss finally broke in quietly.

The Faunus Rogue shook her head. “Already almost died, that’s my allotment for the hour.”

“Oh, very well,” Pyrrha sighed, reaching in and plucking the Orb of Azure out of its container. It was heavier than she expected it to be, but warm to the touch. The blue color seemed to swirl as she held it, going from a sky blue to that of the ocean.

“Are you well?” Weiss quickly interjected. “Do you feel lightheaded? Any voices speaking to you? Do you feel the urge to strike out at anyone? Abject depression? Unusual hubris?”

“No, Weiss,” she laughed. “I feel just fine, it doesn’t seem to be affecting me at all.”

“Good, good,” the Mage murmured, leaning in to peer closely at the colors swirling about. “If you do feel a change, please let me know immediately.”

“Especially the striking out thing,” Blake smirked. “I’d rather get out of range before you do any of that.”

“I’ll be sure to let you know,” the Knight replied humorously. “So, we have what we came for. Should we linger any longer?”

“We really should be going, if it’s safe to move Ruby,” Weiss opined. “We don’t know if more reinforcements are on the way.”

“But… but…” Blake looked around the room, her eyes wide with despair. “All these chests! Who knows what may be in them?”

“Who knows what the next trap will do to you,” the Elf retorted evenly. “Come on, Blake.”

“Oh, fine,” she grumbled mildly. “Hey, can I at least look at the bookshelf while you prep Ruby?”

“Are you certain you don’t wish to ‘prep’ her yourself?” Pyrrha asked with a smirk.

The Cat Faunus stared at her, tail swishing as her mouth opened and closed in an admirable impression of a goldfish.

“I… You…” With a huff, Blake turned around and stalked over to the shelves, her nose in the air.

Pyrrha and Weiss shared a quiet giggle as they headed back towards the Cleric and his patient. “Nice one,” the Elf snickered.

“Why thank you, dear.”

“You don’t have to be so smug about it!” Blake called back irritably from across the room.

In short order they had their supplies repacked, with their new loot tucked into Ruby’s satchel that Weiss looped around her shoulders, while Pyrrha carefully gathered the now-bandaged Ruby up in her arms, bending with her knees as she stood.

“She’s surprisingly light,” the redhead murmured.

Ren nodded, walking alongside and keeping in contact with Ruby’s shoulder. “Hard to remember at times who she really is,” the half-Elf murmured.

Weiss carried the Rogue’s bow and quiver over to her. “Would you like these?” she asked archly.

“Oh, thank you,” Blake replied distractedly as she rifled through the shelf. “Here, trade you.”

She handed the Mage a thick book in exchange for her gear. Weiss frowned at it before she cracked open the spine, and then her pale blue eyes grew wide.

“This… is a spellbook.”

“Yes, it is,” Blake agreed smugly.

“I don’t... “ Her fingers flew as she skimmed through the pages. “Half of these are far beyond my skill level.”

“Well, then, I suppose that gives you some room to grow, hmm?”

Pyrrha smiled as the pair exchanged a warm hug. “Thank you,” Weiss murmured.

Blake just shrugged good-naturedly as she stuffed a set of scrolls into her pack. “Eh, I owe you several times now.”

“Well, by all means, consider any debt whatsoever repaid with interest.”

The Faunus Rogue grinned slightly before turning towards the others. She rested a hand on Ruby’s limp arm, brow furrowing momentarily. “Right,” she finally murmured. “I’ll take point.”

“And I’ll guard the rear,” Weiss replied, drawing her rapier.

Pyrrha smiled and nodded at the two of them as they headed towards what was hopefully the exit tunnel.

They strode along for some time. A few doors along the way were investigated, one of them being a rather opulent bedroom, but they didn’t investigate further. Right now, escape was primarily on their minds.

After five minutes of walking, Ruby stirred fitfully in Pyrrha’s arms. “Blake?” the brunette whispered weakly.

The Faunus woman quickly stopped in her tracks, slipping her bow back over her shoulder before leaning in and cupping Ruby’s face gently. “I’m here,” she murmured softly.

“I’m cold,” the Silver complained quietly. “Never been cold before.”

“Yes, well… you lost a lot of blood,” Blake replied, her amber eyes shining with worry.

“Yeah,” Ruby sighed. “That sucked.” And then she stilled again, never having opened her eyes.

Blake drew in a quick breath before spinning around and resuming their trek, while Pyrrha and Weiss shared a worried glance.

“She’ll be okay,” Ren reassured them all. “If she regained consciousness, the worst is past. Now she just needs the time to heal.” With a weary sigh, the Cleric finally removed his blood-stained hand. “Certainly the presence of the Orb is blocking a more rapid recovery, but she  _ will _ recover.”

Blake nodded without turning around. “Thanks, Ren,” she called over her shoulder softly.

A slender hand came up to rest on Ren’s shoulder. “You’re a good friend,” Weiss added warmly.

The Cleric nodded and gave them a somewhat bashful smile. “It is nothing you all would not have done for me.”

“Hey,” Blake suddenly called out. “I think I smell fresh air up ahead.”

“Thank Oum,” Pyrrha and Ren sighed at the same time, causing them to share another grin.

Sure enough, around the next bend was a stone doorway with a lever next to it. After assuring them it was untrapped, Blake gave it a pull, causing the door to slide down.

And they stepped out into the fresh air for the first time in seemingly forever, though only half a day had passed.

“Well,” Weiss sighed, plopping down next to a boulder. “Now how do we find the others?”

Pyrrha gently laid Ruby down, using her satchel that Weiss placed on the ground for a pillow. “I suppose we could leave two of us up here to watch over Ruby, while the other pair work their way back down to the entrance.” She squinted her emerald green eyes against the setting sunlight. “It’s a fair distance down, but we could reach it well before the sunlight diminishes appreciatively.”

“I don’t like us splitting up,” Blake disagreed mildly.

“Well, no, I don’t either, but-”

Her response was cut off by a large explosion that seemed to come from the other side of the mountain’s peak where they resided.

“Oh, now what,” Blake growled, notching an arrow irritably.

Pyrrha slipped her weapon into her hands while Weiss did the same, spreading out for battle while Ren stood protectively over Ruby with his staff in hand. But then they paused at the high-pitched sound of wild cheering.

The four of them gave a start as an enormous shape soared past them, the ear-shattering sound seemingly coming from its back.

“Well, I’ll be a son of an Orc,” Pyrrha murmured, grinning widely.

As Yang wheeled around once more, the forms of an ecstatic Nora, hefting  _ Magnhild _ overhead victoriously, and a rather green-looking Jeanne could be seen clinging to her back. The Gold Dragon quickly spotted them, diving forward to land in a  _ crunch _ of stone where her feet found purchase.

“REN DID YOU SEE THAT I WAS FLYING AND oh no what’s wrong with Ruby?”

The Orange-haired hammer-wielder’s enthusiasm quickly waned as she hurried over to hug Ren, glancing around him at the prone form of the brunette. Pyrrha stepped forward to greet Jeanne, but the blonde warrior quickly lurched to the side and violently emptied her stomach.

“Oh, yeah,” Nora mentioned casually. “Jeanne gets flying sickness.”

“I noticed that, thank you,” Pyrrha murmured with a half smile. It faded as Yang changed into her Human form and hurried over, panic written across her face.

“What happened?” she practically yelled as she approached.

Weiss was wisely waiting by the injured brunette, calmly halting Yang in mid-tirade with a gentle hand on her chest. “She was poisoned by a Dragonsbane bolt. Ren got it out of her, but she lost a lot of blood. She’s recovering, though.”

Ren stepped forward with a reassuring smile, Nora still clinging to him tightly. “She will indeed recover if given time. I’m afraid the Orb might be hindering her, though.”

“Okay, yeah,” Yang nodded rapidly, her eyes finally fading from crimson back to lilac. “Thanks, Ren, everyone.” She turned to Weiss, wrapping her up in a tight hug. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, yourself,” Weiss murmured against her chest. “Did you have fun without me?”

“Well, I did get to punch a Hellhound in the snout.”

“Oh, good, then the day wasn’t a total loss.”

“Speaking of which,” Jeanne chimed in, staggering over to join the group. “Did we get it?”

“We did,” Pyrrha replied. She and her squire shared a brief, warm smile, though the blonde ended hers with a groan as she clutched at her stomach.

“So, no flying on Dragonback anytime soon, Jeanne?” the Faunus Rogue asked mischievously.

“No,” Jeanne answered solemnly. “Never again, as Oum is my witness.”

“Least we know it’s not just horses, eh, Jeanne?” Yang grinned.

The armored girl shot her a mock glare. “Yes, thank you, Yang. Though I can  _ ride _ horses just fine, it’s the lancing that… vexes me.”

Just before the Gold could retort, she froze, head tilted to the side and eyes flashing back to crimson.

“What?” Weiss asked anxiously, scanning the horizon. “Trouble?”

“I think…” Yang began hesitantly, before her face broke out into a wide grin. “Nope, just the opposite.” She turned to face towards the west, in the direction of the setting sun, and pointed. Two silhouettes were approaching, evenly matched in size, and growing larger by the minute.

“Yang?” 

The fellowship turned to regard the brunette who was struggling to sit up, looking around blearily. “What’s… Who’s headed our way?”

“Hey, sis,” Yang replied cheerfully, bending down to help Ruby into a sitting position against the boulder. “Uncle Qrow is on the way, along with an old friend of mine.”

Before long a pair of Dragons soared overhead. One was an inky black, the other a bronze color that glinted in the light of the setting sun. Yang was grinning widely as she stepped towards where the pair of leviathans landed.

The Onyx one changed into a raven-haired man, lean and with crimson eyes, while the Bronze turned into a woman taller than Yang. Her short dark-brown hair had a longer lock on the right side of her face that was dyed in a gradient from orange to bronze, and she wore odd-looking colored lenses over her eyes.

“Nice of you to join the party, Old Wyrm,” Yang laughed as she hugged the man tightly. “And you!” she exclaimed, facing the smirking woman next. “Oum, it’s been decades, Coco! What the fuck are you doing out here?”

“Heard you found that sister of yours,” the other girl returned with a grin, her voice low and brimming with confidence. “And so I came to see what other trouble you were getting yourself into.”

“Well, it’s good to see you,” Yang laughed, wrapping her up in a hug as well before turning to the others. “Okay, so quick introductions. For those who haven’t met him yet, this is my Uncle Qrow, And this here is Coco, we were hatchlings together.” She quickly passed around introductions for the rest of the group while Qrow strode over to crouch next to Ruby.

“Well, hey there, kiddo,” he rasped with a small grin. “You were lookin’ a bit better the last time I saw you.”

“Felt better, too,” the brunette grinned weakly. “That Dragonsbane is nasty stuff.”

“I try to avoid it, myself.”

“So what are you guys doing here, really?’ Yang interjected curiously.

“Well, firecracker,” Qrow sighed as he returned to his feet. “I come with a summons.”

The blonde’s jovial face instantly closed off as she tensed up. “For who?”

The raven-haired man wouldn’t meet his niece’s gaze. “You and Ruby both.”

“Um, excuse me?” Ruby called out hesitantly. “Summons from whom? And to go where?”

Qrow finally looked up at the blonde. “Still haven’t told her?”

“That’s your job,” Yang growled softly. “I found her, I’m protecting her. Period.”

Ruby groaned as she tried to lever herself up. Pyrrha and Blake were there in a flash to help her to her feet, where she stood swaying slightly.

“Okay, somebody start talking,’ Ruby declared firmly, though she had to squint her eyes shut while her equilibrium returned.

Qrow and Yang just stared at each other, almost sullenly.

“Oh for Oum’s sake,” Coco sighed, pushing past the pair of reluctant Dragons. “Okay, so, Ruby honey. You’re being summoned by the Silver Matriarch.”

Ruby stared back at her in shock, while Nora raised a hand hesitantly. “Um, excuse me? For those of us non-Dragons, or, well, not fully Dragons, um… What’s a Silver Matriarch?”

Coco turned to regard the orange-haired warrior, a slow smile crossing her face. “Huh. Well, look at you. Didn’t know when I started out this morning that I’d find kin.”

“Kin?” Nora squealed, bouncing on her toes. 

“Yup. Definitely Bronze in your heritage, and pretty damn sure it’s my line. Maybe great-granddad Oriff, he was always a ladies’ man, liked socializing with the Humans… Anyways, to answer your question, the Silver Matriarch is the leader of the Silver Dragons. We’re a matriarchal race, each line has their own Matriarch that resides in their own Hold or Aerie. Now,” Coco continued, turning back to face Ruby again. “You want to know why you’ve been summoned.”

“Um, yeah, that’d be nice too,” Ruby agreed, somewhat perplexed. Neither Qrow nor Yang seemed to be giving anything away.

The Bronze Dragon regarded her levelly. “Because you’re her granddaughter.”

The silence on the mountaintop likely would have befitted a monastery.

“I’m… what?” Ruby finally sputtered, her legs giving out. The women to each side of her carefully lowered her back to the ground.

“Granddaughter,” Coco repeated patiently. “Your mom, Summer, was the daughter of the Matriarch.”

“Holy freaking Ogre balls, Ruby,” Nora breathed. “You’re a princess!”

“I’m… wait, what?” The brunette shook her head wildly. “No, I’m not… Am I?”

“Eh,” the Bronze shrugged. “Technically… sure.”

Blake cleared her throat gently. “Er… I know this has been a bit of a shock and all… but what about our quest?”

“Right, we just retrieved the Orb of Azure,” Weiss added.

“Yes, and I can feel the thing,” Qrow finally muttered. “Makes my skin crawl.”

“It’s not so bad,” Coco shrugged once more, strolling around the group and inspecting them closely.

“Alright,” Ruby sighed. “So, we gotta go… wherever, to see… the Matriarch. What for, exactly?”

“Well, for you, Ruby,” the Onyx began, “she wants to meet you. And likely get you to resume the duties that your mom neglected.”

“What duties?”

“Well… mostly ceremonial stuff, learning about the race, politics…”

“Wait, so all that boring crap like a Human princess?” Ruby exclaimed. “And I suppose this means I’d have to stay in the Hold?”

“More than likely, yeah,” Qrow sighed, looking at the ground. “And before you say it, yes, you’ve got to go. You can’t refuse a direct summons… but once you’re there, you could make a case against what is expected of you.”

Ruby nodded slowly, her silver eyes darting about to land on each of the fellowship. They lingered on Blake, then Yang, and finally Weiss.

“Okay,” she murmured. “Um, can I see the Orb really quick?”

Weiss nodded, slipping it from her pack to place in her hands.

“So there it is,” Ruby whispered, her silver eyes watery. She gave herself a shake, looking up with determination.

“Here’s what we’re going to do. Pyrrha, Jeanne, Nora, and Ren. You four take the Orb back towards Vale. Try to hook up with Nebula and the others on the way.”

Ruby’s gaze shifted over towards the other half of the fellowship next. “If Yang and I have to return, we’ll bring some support with us to help make our case. Dragons have always been friendly with the Elves, and many have soft spots for the Faunus as well. Plus, I can’t change, so I’ll need to ride, and I have the feeling I’m going to need help…”

“Yeah, you can ride on my back, Ruby,” Qrow interjected. “So who wants to-”

“I’ll ride with her,” Blake interrupted firmly, before quickly flattening her Faunus ears in embarrassment. “Er, if that’s alright.”

“‘Course it is, Blakey,” the brunette grinned tiredly. “Yang, Weiss can ride on your back, right?”

“Hmm?” Her sister shook her head suddenly as if to clear a fog away. “Oh, yeah, sure thing.”

Pyrrha looked with concern at the way the blonde was refusing to meet Weiss’ eyes, as well as the knowing and slightly sad glance Qrow passed her way.

“Okay, then. Pyrrha?”

The redhead accepted the Orb from Ruby, slipping it into her pack before leaning down to enfold the brunette in a warm hug. “This is for the best,” the Knight murmured. “You will heal faster without the Orb around.”

“Yeah, I know,” Ruby sighed regretfully. “I just hate leaving you guys alone…”

“Maybe I can help with that,” Coco spoke up suddenly, leaning against another rock outcropping. “Been awhile since I’ve been out in Remnant, I think I’ll stick with these four, see ‘em to Vale safely.”

“Thanks, Coco,” the Gold grinned halfheartedly.

Their goodbyes lasted a good ten minutes as each of them passed around tight hugs, some of them tearful, even. Pyrrha and Weiss redistributed the treasure they had retrieved alongside the Orb, sending the dagger and necklace along with those traveling on foot. Blake was fairly adamant about retaining ownership of her new Ring of Invisibility, claiming something about ‘possession’ and some percentage of ‘laws’ that none of the group quite followed. But before long, Yang was winging her way off to the west with Weiss perched behind her neck, and Blake was holding Ruby tight against her chest on the back of the smaller Onyx Dragon alongside.

The five remaining waited for the figures to drift behind the next mountain range before Pyrrha turned to them with a brave smile.

“Very well, then,” she stated firmly. “Let us be on our way.”

Coco gave them a grin as they began their trek down the mountain. “Just promise me I’ll get to actually see some action while we travel.”

With a soft snort, Jeanne shook her head amusedly, blonde tresses swinging behind her in their twin ponytails. “With this group, that’s never in doubt.”

“Amen, sister,” Nora giggled.

“Although,” Ren murmured, using his staff as a walking stick as he picked his way through the rocks. “We could, on occasion, use perhaps a bit less excitement.”

“Now Ren,” Pyrrha grinned at the half-Elf, “where would the fun be in that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Man, this one really got away from me! And that finishes up the second volume! I got the fellowship back together again, only to break them up once more. The next volume will be done somewhat differently as we switch between each group of adventurers, JNPR and Coco for one chapter and then RWBY (with Qrow) in the next.
> 
> Oh, and another secret is revealed! This is one of the ones (like Nora’s) that the subject didn’t even know about. Yang’s is kind of hinted at here, as it has to do with their trip back to the Silver Dragon Hold. And that will actually be the last secret within the fellowship!
> 
> One last note, regarding the various traps Blake described, including the trapdoor to the crocodile-filled pool. Just one thing to say about that: “Wrong lever, Kronk!”


	21. Befriending a Wyrm

**Volume 3**

**Western Reaches of Vale**

“No, I would not want to live in a world without dragons,  
as I would not want to live in a world without magic,   
for that is a world without mystery,  
and that is a world without faith.”  
~ R.A. Salvatore, Streams of Silver

 

“Of all the questions you could ask,” Coco stated amusedly from where she strode at the head of their little column. “All the vastness of mystery surrounding Dragons, the legends and lore that have built up for so many millennia… _That’s_ what you want to know first?” She cut an imposing figure in her elegant long-sleeved tunic, trousers, and high-heeled boots, along with several beaded necklaces, all in a theme of various russet hues to match her hair and namesake.

“Yep!” Nora replied cheerfully, walking alongside with her warhammer slung over her shoulder and a carefree grin on her face.

“Fine,” the Bronze sighed. “Yes, we can have sex as Dragons. And yes, for the males, it means they are accordingly… how did you put it… ‘well-hung’.”

“Damn,” the orange-haired warrior giggled. “Guess we shouldn’t be saying ‘hung like a horse’ anymore, then, huh? More like, ‘hung like a Dragon’?”

“Must we be present for this conversation?” a brightly-flushed Jeanne complained from the rear.

“I wholeheartedly agree,” Pyrrha murmured, her own face a rather bright crimson. She was directly behind the pair, the Knights steadfastly remaining close by to protect Ren. Not that the half-Elf truly needed the protection, but Nora thought it was sweet anyway.

“If you don’t wanna listen, blondie,” Nora snickered over her shoulder, “then just go back to staring at Pyrrha’s ass as a distraction.”

The column paused as a _crash_ sounded from behind. Turning, they observed a very flustered and mortified Jeanne planted face-down in the dirt.

“I tripped,” the blonde squire mumbled.

“Er… would you… like a hand up, Jeanne?” her redheaded Knight inquired politely. If anything her face now matched her hair admirably.

“No, thank you. I’m just gonna stay down here. You guys go to Vale, I’ll catch up.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, Jeannie,” Nora laughed. She planted the head of her hammer on the ground, shaft sticking upright, and walked over to haul her fellow warrior upright.

Jeanne dusted herself off, unable to look anyone in the eye.

Sighing, the pink-clad woman laid a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry, I know my teasing gets a little out of hand… but that’s just because I love you guys, okay?”

“Yeah?” the Knight-in-training asked hesitantly, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Seriously, I’ve never had friends as close as all of you, and Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Blake… All of you guys, it’s like…” Nora stared up at the dense tree canopy thoughtfully. “Kinda like family. Yeah, that’s it. Family.”

Ren stepped up and wrapped his arm around the shorter girl in a warm, one-armed hug. “I’m impressed, Nora. I daresay I’ve not ever heard you include anyone in your family outside of myself.”

“Aww, don’t you worry, Renny,” she exclaimed, wrapping her lover up in a tight hug. “You’ll never be replaced.”

“Of course, Nora,” he smiled gently, resting his chin on her head.

“Er, I do not want to break up the heartwarming moment,” their redheaded companion interjected softly. “But I do recall you mentioning your lineage before, Nora, how your mother was a warrior, just the same as your grandmother…”

“Yeah, she was,” Nora replied, sobering suddenly. Ren’s arms tightened around her protectively, but she gave a wan smile as she reached up on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his. “It’s okay,” she whispered before letting him go.

The orange-haired girl resumed her walking, tossing _Magnhild_ back over her shoulder once more before continuing the conversation. “All my family were warriors, actually. At least, my two younger sisters, Neela and Numa, were in training.” She smiled fondly, a far-off look in her turquoise eyes. “They were twins, took after my pop, though, instead of the way I do after mom. Anyway, I was off adventuring, this was before I met Ren, and…” She swallowed past the familiar lump, working very hard to keep her sunny mask in place. “It was a very large Orc war party,” she finished quietly. “There wasn’t anything left of the village.”

Her companions were silent as they walked behind her. What could be said to that, really? _Sorry_ was such an inadequate comfort, and she’d heard it all before, numerous times over the years.

“Interestingly enough,” her half-Elven boyfriend spoke up, “we hailed from the same village without ever having known each other. It’s how we met, visiting the ruins on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.”

“Yep!” Nora stated, her voice full of cheer once more. “And we’ve been with each other ever since!” She turned slightly to regard the somber-looking Coco. “‘Course, took me a bit of convincing for me to bed him. He likes playing hard to get.”

“Nora,” he sighed affectionately.

Grinning widely, she turned in a half circle as she walked, shooting him a lecherous wink. “But once I did, he came to appreciate my talents.”

Ren shook his head, unable to hide the broad smile. “And I continue to do so,” he replied warmly.

“You two are so cute,” Pyrrha laughed lightly. “It is marvelous to see such love in a world so full of dangers as we face.”

“That’s why I get so frustrated with you two!” Nora snarked back, throwing her free hand up in the air as she walked backwards. “I mean, I kinda get it, honor and rules and blah blah blah, but seriously! What’s it gonna take for you two to get busy already!” She paused at the radiant blushes that covered both of her friend’s faces. “Uh, and I only say that as your friend and I really, really want you both to be happy…”

“Face forward, imp,” Coco snickered, pulling her around by her shoulder. “You’ll trip.”

“Eh, won’t be the first time.”

“In any case,” the Bronze Dragon continued, tilting her strangely-shaded spectacles down to glance over her shoulder briefly. “I know some of what they are going through. Aside from the constraints of their noble Order, oftentimes we Dragons fall under the same dilemma.”

“Ooooh, really?” she asked, eyes sparkling at the prospect of juicy gossip. _Dragon gossip, no less!_ “Like what? With who? Do you have a lover you pine over?”

“No, not I,” Coco laughed. “But I’ve known a few Dragons who fall in love outside our species.”

“Wait, why is that a bad thing?”

“Well…” The brunette looked ahead, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “Understand, we are a very long-lived race and bear very few hatchlings. It is not uncommon for a mated pair to only produce one offspring over the single century that we are able to bear them.”

“That doesn’t sound very conducive to propagating the Dragon race,” Ren murmured thoughtfully.

“It isn’t,” Coco agreed. “And so oftentimes we are… strongly encouraged… by the elders to mate, even if we do not have the inclination to do so.” She smiled softly. “I haven’t been given any such ultimatum, but Bronzes aren’t as focused on their lineage as those less-populous lines.”

“Well, that sucks,” Nora declared firmly. “You should be able to be with whoever you want to.”

The Bronze laughed and shrugged nonchalantly. “It hasn’t come up one way or the other. My brothers are older in any case, and they are unmated as well. As a matriarchal society, we actually tend to have more female Dragons than males.”

“I must say, I’m learning much about the Dragon race over our trek,” Ren commented. “I appreciate your being so open with us.”

“Eh, no worries,” she replied with a casual wave of her hand. “Figured Yang or Ruby would have opened up to you, though.”

“Well, we didn’t always know they were Dragons,” Nora chuckled. “And then after we did know, it was kinda more us coming to terms with it, y’know? The fact that they were still who they were, just, way more cooler.”

All of them joined in the laughter at that. “Yes, way cooler,” Coco agreed.

“Can I ask something?” Jeanne spoke up hesitantly from the rear.

“Of course you can.”

“Um… so if Dragons falling in love outside of their species is kinda… frowned upon… What does that mean for Yang and Weiss?” Jeanne frowned as she kicked at a rock in her path. “Or Ruby and Blake? I mean, yeah they’re not together or anything, but I think they both wanna be, if Blake can learn to accept Ruby for what she is…”

Coco sighed and paused in her walking, She crossed her arms and regarded the others levelly from behind her concealing glasses.

“Look, I can’t speak to this for Yang,” she finally stated. “We were hatchlings together when her mom brought her to the Aerie, so in humanoid terms, she’s pretty much my sister. But…” She frowned as she looked down at the ground. “She can be so fucking _stubborn_ sometimes.”

Giving herself a shake, Coco turned and resumed their passage through the thick forest towards the Kingdom of Vale.

“She made a deal, and that’s all I can really say about it,” the Bronze finally relented. “Between her and her Matriarch. The bargain allowed her to roam Remnant looking for her lost blood sister, Ruby, and now that she’s found her… Well. That’s up to her.”

Nora frowned heavily as she pondered the implications of that statement. To her, it sounded as if Yang were one of the Dragons to be encouraged to eschew love outside her species.

“That sucks,” she finally murmured.

Coco gave her an understanding look. “Yeah,” she agreed simply.

“Right, well…” Nora paused at a bellow that sounded from ahead. It was deep and earth-shaking.

“What in Oum’s name was that?” Jeanne squeaked as she slid her sword from its sheath.

“Ogre,” the Bronze reported tersely, her head cocked to the side. “More than one, actually… And I hear combat of some sort. Likely there’s someone in trouble.”

“Then we should assist,” Pyrrha replied firmly.

“You sure about that, My Lady?” the brunette asked respectfully. “You have the Orb in your possession, and the journey ahead is long still.”

“It matters not.” Pyrrha resolutely hefted her sword and shield as she strode forward. “I cannot as a Knight allow another to fall prey to monsters while I stand by idly.”

Jeanne shrugged as she followed in her Knight’s footsteps. “It’s why we do what we do, after all,” she added with a smirk.

“In any case, it’s been way too quiet,” Nora added, hefting her hammer with an eager grin. “We haven’t had a decent fight in two days!”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Ren sighed humorously.

Coco chuckled as she trailed behind the group now. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m always up for a good fight. Just wanted to make sure we were all in this together.”

“We always are,” Nora reassured her with a wink.

Before long they’d broken through the treeline and into a large clearing that surrounded what seemed to be a small, palisaded village. Said rough wooden walls were not holding up very well against the determined assault by the group of eight Ogres.

“Alright, imp,” Coco laughed gaily as all five of them broke out into a trot. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“You betcha,” she grinned in reply, her words dripping with anticipatory violence.

Nora put on a burst of speed just as the first of the oversized monsters noticed the approaching group of adventurers.

_You’re first, then, beastie,_ she giggled to herself.

The towering bipedal creature, rolls of lard-encasing grey flesh hanging over its rough rope belt adorned with skulls, turned and swung its club with surprising speed for its size. The pink-armored warrior laughed gaily as she skipped aside in her sprint.

“Gotta do better than that!” she called out cheerfully. As she raced past, her hammer swung in a broad arc, smashing into the back of its knee and causing it to immediately topple onto its face with a bellow of pain.

She spied Jeanne racing in to finish off the beast, and so turned back just in time to dodge another club that impacted the ground where she’d been standing.

“Not bad!” she laughed heartily. With another swing of _Magnhild_ , she shattered the club in two before the Ogre could retrieve it. “But not quite fast enough!”

The look on its face was almost comical in its confusion, but it was quickly replaced by one of agony as her hammer sailed into its midsection next, doubling the Ogre over. Nora grinned widely as she was obligingly presented with the top of the monster’s bald head.

Not one to pass up such a gift, she brought her hammer down hard, splattering herself and the ground around her with visceral gore, bright blood and grey brain matter coating her armor.

“Ew, and I just got the stink out from the _last_ Ogre!” she complained mildly. Turning, Nora sought out her companions, only to spy Coco standing nearby nonchalantly. One Ogre lay behind her, its arm ripped off and head caved in more surely than if it had been hit with her own warhammer.

And bearing down upon the Bronze was the last standing Ogre, bellowing in fury as it charged.

Nora hefted her hammer, poised to intervene when she decided to instead see how her new friend and kin fought. Her mouth dropped open as Coco caught the descending club one-handed, bringing the beast’s charge to a halt.

The brunette smirked up at the beast. “Prepare to die,” she stated with dark humor lacing her words. Twisting, she snatched the club from the Ogre’s hands. The Bronze handled the weapon, twice her height, as if it were a twig, swinging it in a fierce uppercut that took the towering beast in the gut.

It went flying across the meadow, thirty yards at least, until it flopped bonelessly to the earth, its insides shattered and liquefied.

Coco turned and spied the orange-haired woman watching her. “If you’re gonna fight, do it with style,” she stated, smirk still in place. It slipped off her face slowly as Nora stood stock-still, staring with wide eyes.

“Um, you okay there, imp?”

The pink-clad warrior began trembling in place, vibrating with an intensity that put hummingbirds to shame, as she finally opened her mouth with an ear-splitting squeal.

“OH MY FREAKING OUM YOU ARE SUCH A BADASS!”

“That was indeed impressive,” Ren smiled as he walked up, staff resting on his shoulder. He immediately closed with Nora and wrapped an arm around her middle from behind, slowing her frantic bouncing. “Easy, Nora…”

“Right, right, sorry, I just… Did you _see_ that?”

“I did, yes.”

Nora wore a broad smile on her face as she stuck a proud thumb at the snickering brunette. “And I’m related to her!”

“Yes, Nora,” the half-Elven Cleric laughed lightly. “Yes, you are.”

* * *

The village council was suitably appreciative of their efforts, and though both Pyrrha and Jeanne eschewed any sort of monetary reward for coming to their rescue (much to the chagrin of Nora), they were still offered what hospitality they could provide. The modest settlement boasted a small tavern with rooms for them to stay in, and the grateful innkeeper put together a large dinner for them to enjoy, as well as a promise to ply them with as many beverages as they might desire.

After the surprisingly tasty meal, the five of them gathered before the roaring fireplace on comfortable chairs and couches. Coco sat by herself, while a freshly-washed Nora shared a cozy loveseat with her boyfriend. The two Mistralian Knights sat across the way on another small couch, and they all felt considerably more relaxed than at any point so far in their journey.

“Hey, Coco,” Jeanne murmured after some time, staring into the depths of her mug. “So, if you grew up with Yang… what was she like as a… a hatchling? Was she pretty much like she is now?”

“Pretty much,” the brunette chuckled, tossing back the remnants of her mead. “Bit more reckless, though. Gods, the trouble we’d get into…”

“Oooh, storytime!” Nora giggled, bouncing in her seat where she was snuggled up next to Ren. “C’mon, Coco, give us some dirt on her!”

“Okay, okay,” she laughed in reply, brow furrowed briefly in thought. “So here’s one… Alright, as you may or may not know, Dragons don’t manifest the ability to change into Human form until they are a decade old, usually. Well, the both of us managed it at the same time, which just meant we could escape our mothers’ watchful eyes all the easier…”

Coco signaled to the waitress for another mead, which was quickly supplied to her. She smiled her thanks and took a quick drag from the frothy brew, wiping her mouth on her sleeve before continuing. “Also, Dragon’s diets are pretty varied and all, but the hatchlings prefer certain foods before we’re able to eat meat. Stuff like chicken eggs, greens, milled oats, that sort of thing.”

Nora screwed up her nose. “Uncooked?”

“Of course not!” Coco laughed, shaking her head. “Yuck. No, my mom is an awesome cook, she always made the best… Well. Anyways, so at the Aerie we kept some chickens around, though they were kept way in the back and away from the open spaces.” She grinned slightly. “Apparently chickens tend to freak out and not produce eggs when they see actual Dragons flying about.”

“I wonder why,” Pyrrha remarked dryly, smiling over the rim of her glass of green Mistralian wine.

“So, Yang had this brilliant idea to go steal some of the eggs.” The brunette frowned briefly. “Actually, I don’t really recall the reasoning, she just wanted to take them. Always was a thrill-seeker, and me, being the good friend I was, readily agreed.”

Nora took a quick glance around the group. All of them, even Ren, were listening attentively and with humor, imagining the pair of transformed adolescent Dragons creeping through a passageway to pilfer eggs from chickens.

“Well, we managed to get in, no problem, and stuffed our clothes with the eggs so it wouldn’t be obvious we took them. The both of were giggling like loons, racing back through the passageway, when all of the sudden we ran into my dad.” Coco grinned widely, though it was tinged with certain chagrin. “Literally.”

“Oh, no,” Pyrrha snickered, covering her mouth.

“Oh, yes,” the brunette laughed. “Both of us ended up on our asses in front of him, and we quickly scrambled to our feet to face him. Now,” she held up a finger, “my dad is a pretty serious Dragon for a Bronze, if anybody would need one word to describe him it would be _solemn_. So he’s standing there, just giving us the stink-eye, obviously wondering what we were in such a hurry for… and then he looks down.”

Jeanne by this point was turning red with laughter, falling over slightly in her seat as her frame shook. Pyrrha was in much the same state, and the two ended up leaning against one another in their shared mirth.

“And right there at our feet,” Coco continued through her suppressed chuckles. “Pooling in a big, wet puddle, were the remains of all the eggs we’d stolen. One great big, yellow, sticky mess, littered with fragments of eggshells.”

“Ew!” Nora giggled. “I bet that felt nasty!”

“Oh, it was unbelievably so,” Coco agreed merrily. “Wet and icky and just… But we didn’t budge, either of us, Yang and I just stood there like nothing at all was wrong. And my dad, he just looks us over, not even blinking an eye, and gave us a nod. ‘Chickens have been productive,’ he finally said. ‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. And then, with another nod, he simply walked away.”

“Oh my Oum,” Nora laughed, clutching at her belly. Even Ren was snickering by this point, the normally stoic half-Elf shaking his head in sympathy.

“Well, we got in all sorts of trouble with our mothers,” the Bronze admitted. “The both of them, somehow they just knew what we’d been up to, and were waiting for us as soon as we entered our chambers to wash up. Gods, the lecture we got, our ears were ringing for hours afterwards.”

They sat for at least another good ten minutes before they were done with their merriment, finally all sitting upright and wiping the tears from their eyes with soft sighs.

As the evening progressed, and the five of them got further into their drinks, their conversation turned towards the philosophical.  Ren opened up some on his time with the Order of Oum before he became a Cleric, and Nora watched him speak with a soft look on her face.

“There haven’t been many who took my path,” the normally-reserved man admitted. “In all of the recorded history of the Order, only a dozen or so have taken the vows of the clergy. I suppose, for many, once you are used to the violence, it becomes difficult to settle for a more… sedate way of life.”

“I dunno, Ren,” Jeanne slurred, peering into the bottom of her mug. “With this group, not much sedate about it.”

“True enough,” the raven-haired man agreed with a slight smile. “Still, I have always believed Oum has had a purpose for me. He led Ruby, Weiss, and the two of you to Nora and myself for a reason.”

“Do you miss it at all?” Pyrrha asked softly, swirling her wine around in her glass. “The militancy?”

“Not at all,” Ren smiled once more, this time wider. “In any case, were I still with the Order, I never would have met Nora, and that would have been unthinkable.”

“Such a sweetie,” Nora giggled, snuggling up tighter into his side. She turned to see Coco staring sightlessly into the fire, a faraway look in her eyes. “Hey, watcha thinkin’ about, Coco?”

The brunette gave herself a shake and turned with a half-smile. “Nothing, really. Just… pondering the past, I suppose.”

“Your past, or something broader than that?” the redheaded Knight asked insightfully.

“Yes, broader indeed…” Coco turned back to the fire, her brown eyes shining in the flickering light now that she’d removed her oddly-darkened glasses. “Did you know that, when the world of Remnant was young and the moon unbroken still, Dragons were as numerous in the sky as flocks of birds… We soared about, laying claim to everything our shadows crossed…”

As she trailed off musingly, the others stirred. Nora wasn’t used to this melancholy side of her new friend, she was normally so confident and bold. Jeanne placed her mug in front of her on her lap and wrapped her hands around it.

“What happened?” the blonde asked breathlessly.

Coco let out a short, rueful chuckle. “What eventually happens with all the races. We got too big, too full of ourselves, and tore ourselves apart. Humanoids, small and comparatively pathetic, rose up to fill the vacuum.” She turned to face the others with a small smirk. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Ren murmured. “I suppose our history of the world is rather more recent, the only Dragon wars we have ever learned about was the one against Ember.”

The brunette nodded slowly. “That was the last time Dragon fought against Dragon on any sort of scale, and even then it was only perhaps a dozen on each side. And every single Dragon involved perished.” Sighing softly, Coco took a long pull from what was left of her perhaps tenth mug of mead that evening. “It had been perhaps a couple of millennia before that since we’d fought. Large-scale fights such as those are devastating for a race that struggles to remain at a stable number. We are not Orcs or Goblins who breed in vast numbers to support their warlike tendencies.”

“I can understand why Dragons would not lightly take to fighting amongst yourselves,” the Cleric returned.

“Indeed, even as vast as the chasm of hatred that exists between the Reds and the Golds, the Greens and the Silvers… We Dragons have long memories as a race, and such hard-earned lessons are ingrained upon us.”

“Do Dragons, then, tend not to involve themselves in the matters of us humanoids?” Pyrrha inquired.

Coco shrugged. “Usually not. Yeah, you’ll find an occasional Red who’s brewing up some trouble to further their own gains or the odd Bronze like myself just out and about for adventure, but for the most part, we tend to stick to ourselves. Still,” she sighed, “I fear, sometimes, that we will be left behind, eventually just fading into legend and obscurity.”

There wasn’t much any of them could say to that, the mood having turned definitively more somber. Nora gave herself a shake and lurched to her feet, dragging Ren up with her.

“Whelp, on that note, I’m taking this gorgeous man to bed. ‘Night all, see ya in the morning.”

“Good night Nora, Ren,” Pyrrha smiled genially. Jeanne gave them both a sloppy salute from where she slouched with her eyes now half-closed.

Coco stretched languidly as she rose. “I think I’m gonna go take a walk, clear my head. You two have fun, but don’t keep the whole damn tavern up, yeah?”

The orange-haired woman grinned widely as she leaned in. “That’s what Circle of Silence spells are for,” she stage-whispered.

The brunette barked out a surprised laugh and shook her head, waving over her shoulder as she walked away. “‘Night, imp.”

Nora had intended on dragging her lover up the stairs with her, but as it turned out, she required steadying herself. “Whooo,” she giggled. “I think I had a few too many, Renny…”

“It’s what you get for trying to keep up with a Dragon, love,” the half-Elf smiled gently, one arm wrapped around her as they staggered towards their room. While the other three girls were assigned to a common room filled with cots, she and Ren were thoughtfully given a small room all to themselves.

“But I’m part Dragon,” she argued. With a wavering finger, she reached up to tap him on the nose, narrowly missing poking him in the eye. “Boop,” she giggled.

“That may be the case,” he agreed. “Evidently you got the strength without the stamina, however.”

By that point, they’d entered their room, and Nora twisted with impressive dexterity for her inebriated state, pushing Ren inside while slamming the door shut behind her. “Izzat a challenge?” she asked mischievously, her hands rapidly undoing the buckles on her pink-dyed leather armor.

The raven-haired man grinned back, showing the rare humor he usually only displayed for her alone as he sat on the edge of the narrow bed. “Oh, I don’t know, are you sure you’re… up for it?”

Snickering, Nora shucked her armor off in record time, Ren watching avidly the whole while. By the time she was naked, her head had cleared up considerably.

Impending sexytimes with her lover always had a way of giving her focus.

“Now, then,” she purred as she sauntered forward. “What was that about being… up?”

With a lecherous grin, she reached down and wrapped a firm hand around his manhood. He gave a groan and pulled her onto his lap, attacking her lips with abandon.

Nora chuckled deeply as she returned the kiss, allowing the outwardly reticent man to take control as she straddled him where he sat. Finally, though, they broke apart, panting heavily.

She reached up to cup his face in both hands, pulling him in so that their foreheads touched. “I love you, Ren.”

“And I love you, Nora,” he murmured, his hands on her waist. A brief grin was her only warning as he quickly turned, flipping Nora onto her back on the bed with a _shriek_.

“Renny,” she panted as he worked his way down her neck. “Spell.”

With an irritated grunt, the Cleric lifted his head up and murmured a few arcane words. Like a shroud, the silence enclosed them in a bubble, reflecting the sounds they made back upon them and blocking out any other noise.

As he continued his way down, Nora considered that she actually quite liked the effect, the sounds of their lovemaking becoming somehow more real, more tangible.

And that was the last coherent thought she had for quite some time that evening.

* * *

Later the next day, many hours after the group had departed, thanking their hosts for their generous hospitality, a half-Orc dressed in simple, worn traveling clothes crested the rise of a hill past the village. He walked towards the setting sun, in the opposite direction from where the adventuring party had left.

Before long he was halted by several spear shafts that were thrust in his face.

“Gruumsh take your balls,” he spat out in the guttural language of the Orcs who faced him. “Do you not fucking recognize me yet, you worthless curs?”

“Go fuck an Elf,” one of them growled back before removing his spear. “You look just like one anyways.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries involving copulating with several unsavory races, the half-Orc was allowed to pass. He continued on past the resting forms of numerous Orcs, most of them slumbering but some pacing about or sharpening weapons.

Eventually, he spotted the one he was looking for, gazing out past the trees at the small village where he’d just come from. The Orc was a massive specimen of his race, broadly muscled and with dark green skin. The massive shoulders of his crude plate armor bore several spikes, one of which on each side had a decapitated head impaled, dripping blood upon him still. The one on the left, mouth open in a rictus of agony, was that of an Elven female, ugly in his eyes with fair skin and long blonde hair, while the other head was that of a Halfling male missing the bottom part of his face, brown tousled hair matted with blood.

“What news?” the Warboss rumbled without turning around or disturbing the flies that buzzed around him like a shroud.

“Some of our prey were spotted,” he grunted in return. “They stayed in that village, left this mornin’ and headin’ due east.”

“Still movin’ back to Vale, then,” the massive Orc mused, turning to face him finally. A scar went from the bridge of his nose down his left cheek, narrowly missing his eye. His small, dark, beady eyes glittered with an intelligence rarely found in those of his race.

“The host can bypass the village easy,” the scout reported confidently.

But the Warboss shook his head. “Nope, the boys need ta have a little fun, gettin’ restless followin’ these turds all over this Chernoggar-cursed land, Gruumsh take ‘em.” He turned back once more to gaze out at the peaceful-seeming village. “We’ll raze it,” he declared firmly.

Without further discussion, the Orc hefted his battleaxe over his head and gave a fierce shout, rousing the hundreds of Orcs who accompanied his war party. “Alright, you lazy curs! Get yer asses up! We gots a nice, soft town of weaklings ta take!”

With a roar, the host rose to their feet as one, grabbing various weapons and hoisting it over their heads. Down at the bottom of the valley, the villagers quailed as they heard the war cries, knowing all too well what it entailed.

The Orc Warboss swung his axe down, pointing it at the unsubstantially-walled village before them. “No mercy for the weaklings!” he bellowed, and his host charged alongside him to inflict the death and destruction their race reveled in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to keep the first of volume three in the viewpoint of JNPR. Next up, though, we’ll check in with RWBY and see how they’re doing.


	22. Chained Heritage

**Volume 3**

**Western Reaches**

“Patience is for dragons,” Keegan muttered.  
“But dragons must learn it, just as humans must,” Pharrgon replied.  
~ Kathryn Fogleman, Tales of the Wovlen: The Dragon Son

 

Weiss’ ass hurt more than she could ever recall at any point in her eighty years of life. The Elf had not been one to utilize mounts overmuch, and on the occasions that she had, she was able to rest upon a more-or-less comfortable saddle.

With a chuckle, she wondered if they made saddles for a Dragon but then mused that such a thing might be considered highly offensive to such a proud race.

She sighed slightly, squinting her eyes against the wind that flew past her face before tucking herself back in against the soft golden mane of the Dragon she rode. They’d been flying for several hours now, but she’d been assured the flight would pause at about halfway to rest.

_ Just how far away is the Hold of the Silver Dragons? _

Her head turned, seeking out the other Dragon accompanying them. It took her awhile, but eventually she could make out the dark, shadowy form of the Onyx as he glided through the clouds, his wings beating as languidly as Yang’s to conserve their strength. Her lover had assured her they would make good time in such a fashion, riding a tail wind that more-or-less pointed in the direction they needed to go.

And then the wisps of white dissipated as they broke from the cloud cover, the sun shining brightly against both the water below as well as the golden scales she rested against.

_ Wait, what? Water? _

“Yang, why are we over water?” she yelled, a trace of panic in her voice.

The Gold turned her head slightly. “Don’t worry, gorgeous, the island is just up ahead. We’ll stop at the shore.”

Her eyes squinted against the brightness as well as the wind, but eventually, she could make out a darkness on the horizon, fast approaching. It looked to be more the size of a small continent rather than an island, one she was unfamiliar with.

_ The sun has already peaked, it’s setting off to the left, which means we’re heading northward… That’s not Atlas, though, not enough snow, so where are we…? Oh! _

If her memory of Remnant geography served, there was a goodly-sized body of land to the northwest of Vale, just above Vacuo. There was no civilization there, so far as she knew, and most explorers and adventurers simply avoided the area as they had a tendency to vanish without a trace if they were so bold.

Another memory flitted across her mind, of staring at the map as a little girl and marveling at the small landmass, vaguely in the shape of a Dragon.

_ Oum, of course, in hindsight I suppose it all makes sense. Where else would the Dragon race secret themselves? _

The land ahead had solidified enough that she could make out details, a sandy beach that eventually gave way to rocky outcroppings, and then eventually lush and unspoiled forest and grasslands. Weiss glanced to the side once again, now able to spot the two forms huddled on the back of the Onyx. She winced slightly, hoping that her friend had been able to heal on the long flight now that the brunette was away from the debilitating influence of the Orb of Azure.

But then they started to descend, Yang’s wings beating in a slightly increased tempo as she fought against the gravity that now began to reassert its influence. The wind stream left behind, their progress slowed until they were finally above the beach.

Gold and Onyx settled down at the same time, their impact and the backwash of their wings sending sand and debris flying.

Yang extended her wing wordlessly, and Weiss was quick to scamper down on numb legs. As her feet touched the ground, she stumbled onto her knees.

“Oh,” she murmured. “That was a bit draining.”

Warm hands reached from behind her to help her back to her feet. Instead of letting go, though, familiar strong arms wrapped around her waist and pressed her into the softness of her lover.

“Take it slow,” Yang murmured. “Gotta let the blood circulate some, yeah?”

Weiss grinned and turned her head to peer into her favorite lilac eyes. “Don’t even think of carrying me.”

The blonde threw her head back and laughed boisterously. “Oh, never, princess. I value my life and limb far too dearly.”

The Elf snorted softly and slapped her arm. She looked across the beach to where Blake was still helping Ruby down off of Qrow’s wing, arm wrapped around her middle.

“Looks like Ruby is still a bit shaky,” she murmured worriedly.

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Yang chuckled as they slowly made their way over. The other pair were now seated side-by-side on a sun-bleached log that hadn’t been disturbed by their landing, while Qrow was sprawled out on his back along the sand, head cradled by his arms.

The Onyx’s head turned to regard them with crimson eyes. “Figure we rest up an hour or so before the last leg, that okay with you, firecracker?”

“Fine by me,” the blonde smirked. “Especially since Ruby can fly now.”

“What? Yang, she’s still wounded,” Blake spoke up with a frown.

Weiss, however, was noticing a fairly bright blush on the cheeks of the Silver by her side.

“Ruby?” she murmured.

All eyes now focused on her, the brunette chuckled abashedly while rubbing the back of her neck. “Um… Yeah, I’m… okay to fly now.”

Yang’s chuckles turned into outright laughter as she settled onto the sand across from the pair, sitting cross-legged and pulling a willing platinum-haired Elf into her lap. “Sorry to make you give up your very comfy seat.”

Blake was blushing as well by now, though she bore a rueful grin.

“To be fair,” Ruby retorted, “it was really comfy.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Who wouldn’t want kitty snuggles for the whole trip over?”

“Yang, you still exist to irritate me, don’t you?” Blake grumbled flatly, staring off to the side.

“Who, me?” the blonde asked with fake affront.

“Yes, you.”

“Alright, kids,” Qrow laughed, sitting upright. “Let’s have a conversation before we reach the Hold, okay?”

“Sure, Uncle Qrow,” Ruby replied quickly, a blush still lingering on her cheeks. “What did you want to tell us?”

All four women were now focused attentively on the Onyx as he played with a shard of smooth glass, worn down by untold years of saltwater tides.

“So, the Silver Dragon Hold,” he began with a quiet rasp. “It’s a bit… exclusionary. As friendly as they can be, they don’t take kindly to intrusions into their home.”

Qrow sighed as he dropped the piece of glass and leaned back on his elbows. “Lemme back up a bit, first. Ruby, I was good friends with both your mom and dad, so I can give you a little insight as to why they lived where they did when they raised you as a hatchling.”

The brunette sat up at that, her silver eyes sparkling eagerly.

“Summer was next in line for the Matriarchy, but it wasn’t a responsibility she ever wanted.” He chuckled ruefully. “I might have been a bad influence on her. Well, me and Raven both, we’ve always been restless spirits… But she had the soul of an adventurer, wanted to see Remnant before she was saddled with the responsibility that came with her own mother’s station.”

“Yeah,” Ruby interjected softly. “I can relate.”

“I suppose you can, yeah.” Qrow tilted his head back to watch the clouds drift by. “She followed the rules for the first half-century or so, but then after Raven left with Yang while  _ she _ was still a hatchling, Summer decided that she needed to get out of the Hold. She, Tai, and myself headed across the water and got into all sorts of trouble.”

His sardonic grin became something more wistful, a little sad perhaps. “Well, in any case, she and Tai mated and remained down there while I went off to seek my own brand of adventure.”

“One that involved searching for the most potent alcohol in all of Remnant, right?” Yang snarked.

He shot her a patently false glare. “Don’t mock my choices,” he growled playfully. With a grin, he sat back up again, hands loosely on his knees. “So, anyways, the Silver Matriarch is gonna be wary of history repeating itself. You’re the last of her line right now Ruby, so that both puts you in a bad spot and gives you an advantage.”

The brunette tilted her head slightly in confusion. “An advantage? How so?”

He held up a hand and began to tick items off on his fingers. “She needs you to willingly take your mother’s place as heir. Silvers greatly prize individuality, so she doesn’t want to force you. The Matriarch, even though she oversees the race as a whole, is still your grandmother, so that might count for something. Also, when she takes a look at you in this form, she can’t help but be reminded of Summer.” Qrow put his hand down and shrugged. “Might go both ways on that one.”

Ruby nodded slowly as she stared down at her feet, lost in thought. Blake hesitantly reached over and rested a reassuring hand on her back, causing the brunette to look up and flash her a warm smile.

Clearing his throat, Qrow scratched at the back of his neck ruefully. “Ah, yeah, that reminds me. If you don’t wanna make your case even harder for yourself, you might want to, y’know… cool it on the affection between the two of you.”

Though Ruby bore an understanding grimace on her face, Blake reflected the confusion that the Elven Mage was sure she herself displayed. “Why would that make a difference?”

Qrow’s eyes flickered over to Yang, who spoke up hurriedly before he could. “They’ll see that as the only reason she wants to stay away from the Hold,” the blonde murmured roughly. “Instead of her own reasons that have to do with the Orb.”

“Oh,” Weiss murmured in reply. “I… suppose that makes sense.”

_ Your explanation makes sense, but not your uneasiness… What are you hiding from me, Yang? _

She was well aware there was something going on, but the Elf hadn’t had the chance to discuss it privately yet. Between the interactions of Qrow and Yang on the side of the mountain, and her evasiveness now, a small worry began to gnaw at the edge of her heart.

_ I have the terrible feeling that this somehow has to do with me, or more precisely, us… and that I won’t like what will come of this secret. _

Her musings were interrupted by Qrow as the raven-haired man resumed his earlier discourse.

“Humanoids are rarely allowed inside the Hold,” he stated. “Never actually seen any there, myself. The Silvers usually don’t even allow other Dragons in, so it’s a pretty damn huge honor if they are.”

“But you are allowed in, correct?” Blake spoke up softly, her amber eyes glinting intelligently.

“I am, yeah,” Qrow nodded. “Done some favors for the Matriarch in the past, I’m considered a friend. And Yang, as Ruby’s sister and my niece, will get a pass inside as well.” He let out a breath in more of an explosive expression of disgruntlement than a sigh. “You two, though… It’d be iffy if it were just me, but Ruby should be able to get you by, especially if you stick to your blades, kiddo.”

“Oh, I intend to,” the brunette stated firmly. Her eyes were now a swirling grey, storm clouds racing behind them as she set her mouth into a resolved line. “So I can play up both my status and my absence. The trick will be to not get nailed down into making a promise.”

“That’s always the rub, yeah,” Qrow agreed. He chuckled lightly at the slightly confused expression on Blake’s face. “A Dragon’s word is their bond, once given we’ll move all of Remnant to ensure it.”

“It’s not given lightly,” Yang agreed, her voice tinged with a bit of sadness. “We have to be very careful how we craft it, and who we give it to.”

The group was silent for a few moments until Weiss decided to break it with her own question, one she’d been pondering for some time.

“If I may,” the Elf began. “You refer to the home of the Silvers as a Hold, but you have also mentioned an Aerie? What is the difference?”

“That’s an easy one,” Yang chuckled. “Holds are more enclosed, like a series of caverns and caves, hidden away and easily defensible. The Silver race prefers that as their numbers are so few. For Bronzes, though, since there are so many of them, they like the Aerie, which is just a series of niches and caves set into a big ole mountain. They have the numbers to defend such an open space.”

Weiss nodded slowly and turned her face slightly to the side. “And what about Golds?”

The blonde leaned in and brushed her lips against her cheek, eliciting a soft smile. “We Golds are more solitary. Our Matriarch lives in a cavern with a few others, but we either make our lairs off alone or hang out with the other races, like I did growing up in the Aerie.”

“Onyx’s are much the same,” Qrow interjected. “We have a Hold, not here, though. But mostly we just kinda go where we will.”

“Greens hail from the swamps south of Mistral,” Ruby continued as if from rote. “Whites from the frozen hinterlands to the north, and the Browns are bred in the deserts to the east of Vacuo.”

“And the Reds?” Blake asked.

Qrow snorted. “Any damn place they want.”

The brunette silver giggled lightly, her earlier dark mood alleviated somewhat. “Pretty much, yeah, except for this land here. Only those friendly to the Silvers and Bronzes make their homes here.”

“Right,” the raven-haired man groaned as he stretched his arms over his head. “Any other questions? I think I covered all I can for now, just… Be firm, and be yourself, kid. You can handle this.”

“Yes,” Ruby replied softly as she rose to her feet. “Yes, I can.” She tilted her head towards Blake inquisitively. “Ride with me?”

“Gladly,” Blake murmured in reply.

Weiss sighed as she rose to her feet, pulling Yang up with her. They walked a short distance away to give the others room to transform. “They really have it bad for each other, don’t they?”

“Yeah, they do,” her blonde lover answered distractedly.

“Yang…”

“Not now, gorgeous,” Yang interrupted her. “Soon, okay?”

Weiss stared up into the Gold’s lilac eyes. “Can you promise me that?”

The blonde opened her mouth but quickly snapped it shut. “I need to change,” she whispered.

“You are incredibly stubborn,” the platinum-haired Elf sighed, stepping back.

“So I’ve been told,” Yang grinned before her form shimmered, a gigantic Gold Dragon taking the place of the blonde brawler.

Weiss climbed up the extended wing and settled herself behind her girlfriend’s neck once more. She squirmed slightly, trying to find the most comfortable position before the Gold launched herself skyward after the Silver and Onyx already winging their way inland.

_ I  _ **_will_ ** _ uncover what is troubling you so, because I care far too much for you to allow this to drive a wedge between us. _

**The Silver Dragon Hold**

Ruby’s mind was a swirl of emotions as she approached her mother’s ancestral home.  _ Her _ ancestral home, the seat of the Silver Matriarch. A broad slash in the side of one of the many mountains along the spine of this small continent, her vision easily picked out a set of argent forms ringed around the opening. Sentries to protect the Hold.

They’d already passed through the outer perimeter, though the small flight of three Dragons hadn’t been overtly approached or scrutinized. She could tell her measure had already been taken by the patrols of Silvers around the border of the territory, and she knew just as surely that the news of her arrival had already preceded her.

_ Well, it’s not like I’m tryin’ to sneak up on them. _

She was cognizant of the presence of the Cat Faunus on her back, nestled just above her shoulder blades and with her arms and tail wrapped around her neck. Ruby smiled slightly, reminiscing of the flight over and how wonderful it had felt to be cradled securely in Blake’s arms the whole time.

_ Yeah, maybe I did stretch it out a little bit… No regrets, though, especially as there’s no way we can be that close while here. _

And then they were alighting onto the surface of the cavern below. The sentries regarded them warily but did not approach as Blake and Weiss slid down onto the floor. One Silver, a bit bigger than the others, carefully approached from the rear of the entrance, pausing at a respectful distance and waiting.

_ Alright then, let’s do this… Confidence. I am a confident Silver Dragon, not a hatchling. _

Her body shimmered as she extended her will briefly, changing into her human form. She’d already determined that, so long as she had her companions with her and was going to be arguing for her continued intervention in the humanoid affairs of Remnant, this would be the form she would retain while there.

“My name is Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias,” she called out in a clear, ringing voice. She noted that both Yang and Qrow had changed as well, and remained clustered with the others behind her supportively. “I am here to answer the summons of the Matriarch.”

The Silver before her shrank in a blur until she was a brown-robed woman with dark skin and a wild mane of silverish-blonde hair. Her eyes, an emerald green as a Dragon, were now a much darker hue of the same color.

“I greet you, Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias,” the other Silver called out warmly. “My name is Arslaynnethlorianne, and I was good friends with your mother.”

“A friend of my mother’s is a friend of mine,” the brunette replied hopefully. “And please, call me Ruby.”

“Then you must call me Arslan,” the woman replied, stepping closer. “I will be your liaison and guide here in the Hold for your group.” She looked over Ruby shoulder. “Yang, I am pleased to see you once more.” 

Arslan’s smile slipped minutely as she gave another nod. “Qrow.”

Sighing softly, Ruby shook her head.  _ Of course, he’d gloss over any of his more dubious exploits while here… Or maybe she carries a grudge for him carting off my mom along with my dad? _

With a start, Ruby realized that Arslan was waiting expectantly before her still. “Oh! Sorry, er… This is Weiss Schnee, a Mage of considerable skill and grace, and this is Blake Belladonna, stalwart companion with a fierce and loyal heart. Both are dear friends and here at my bequest.”

“I see.” Arslan gave the Elf and Faunus a polite nod. “I greet you both and welcome you to the Hold. This is a most unusual situation, in several aspects.” Her dark green eyes glittered with humor. “But a little excitement can be good for Dragons. We tend to hole up and lose ourselves in our own troubles.”

“Well, I hope for this to be less exciting and more… cordial,” Ruby stated hesitantly.

“That remains to be seen,” Arslan chuckled. “I realize you have only just arrived, and I apologize profusely for my rudeness as your host. But the Matriarch had requested Ruby’s presence as soon as she arrived. I imagine you would like to stick together as a group?”

“If we may, please.”

“Very well. Follow me, if you would.”

Several passageways led off from the entrance cavern, most of them humanoid-sized, but the one directly across was sized for a Dragon. Yang might have found it a close fit, but she could have managed.

Ruby was pretty sure she was violating some sort of protocol here but hoped it would work in her favor rather than against her. She’d been raised outside of the Hold, after all, living among the humanoids her entire life. Which, admittedly, was incredibly brief in Dragon terms.

Arslan led them up a slight incline where the large passageway opened up into a vast chamber. It was easily big enough to contain several dozen Silver Dragons. The seven that were there, waiting for her, certainly didn’t even begin to crowd it.

Along each side were three Silvers of varying ages and power, all bigger than her own true form, of course. They rested on stone-hewn platforms, argent scales glittering under the light of countless magical orbs of light attached around the perimeter of the room. Each one regarded her levelly, though a few looked to be a bit affronted at her companions.

Her eyes quickly focused on the Silver in the center. The Matriarch exuded age and a presence that made her limbs tremble briefly. Her scales shone as brightly as any Silver she’d seen so far, but her flowing mane hung down on each side of her neck, almost to the claws folded underneath her where she crouched. The stone dais she perched on was higher than the others, above Ruby’s head in this form, with ornate carvings around the edge.

“I greet you, Ruthralynnaerias,” the ancient Silver rumbled.

With a startled  _ eep _ , Ruby quickly dropped to one knee. Belatedly, she realized she’d been the only one still standing. “Matriarch,” she murmured as respectfully as possible.  _ Yeah, we’re off to a great start… _

“This is ridiculous, Matriarch,” one of the Silvers to the right grumbled irritably. “She cannot even present herself with due subservience! And in her inferior form, no less!”

_ Whelp, we already passed the cordial, might as well go right to the exciting. _ Ruby stood, her shoulders back proudly as she faced the speaker. “Not inferior,” she stated levelly. “Merely different. If we are able to assume it, how can we call it inferior?”

Several of the assembled Silvers snorted humorously. The one next to the speaker shot him a grin. “Now where have we heard that before, hmm?”

“Far too much like her mother,” the speaker growled, but suddenly stilled as if he’d made an incalculable error.

Indeed, the Matriarch rose to her feet, glaring down at the offender who’d dared to speak ill of her deceased daughter in such a fashion. “Leave us,” she commanded.

The disgraced Silver dipped his head in obsequiousness. “Matriarch,” he rumbled meekly.

“In your other form.”

The grimace of the Silver was difficult to conceal, but he obeyed, changing into a slim Human with tousled black hair, matching the vest and slacks that he wore under a gold sash. The glare sent towards Ruby, however, he didn’t bother to hide.

Arslan sidled up to Ruby while the man made his way out. “Bolin is a bit of a hothead,” she murmured almost inaudibly. “And likely your biggest opponent. With him gone, your chances have increased exponentially.”

_ Interesting. I wonder if she did that on purpose, allowed him to dig his own grave so that she could kick him out? _ The level gaze that the Matriarch regarded her with revealed nothing, however.

Her guide stepped forward, giving the elder Dragon a deep bow before presenting the others in Ruby’s party. The great Silver gave each of them a deep nod in turn.

“I welcome each of you into our Hold,” she intoned, her voice practically shaking the foundation of the cavern without raising in volume. “While here you are under my protection and grace.”

Arslan stiffened in shock before shooting Ruby a quick grin.

_ Oh, wow… That’s a pretty huge deal if I remember rightly... _

“So then, Ruthralynnaerias,” the Matriarch began. “You understand the reasoning behind my summons?”

“I do, Matriarch,” she replied evenly. “And please, call me Ruby.”

“Very well… Ruby. I am very pleased to have finally met you, and I look forward to your tutelage in preparation of taking your mother’s place as my heir.”

_ Yeah… no. _ “Er, about that…” Ruby sucked in a steadying breath. “I have work that still needs done in Vale. We retrieved the Orb of Azure from the lair of Cindeshthyaleramathe and must return it to its proper home.”

The Matriarch regarded her unblinkingly. Her crystalline blue orbs were practically colorless but no less intense in their gaze. “You do not have the Orb in your possession,” she stated finally.

Ruby nodded, though it obviously wasn’t a question. “We do not. It is with others from our party who are traveling across the land towards Vale as we speak.”

“Then I do not see the problem. Your quest is finished, and you have completed your mother’s work.”

The brunette forced herself not to fidget. “I must respectfully disagree, Matriarch.” She resolutely ignored the shocked gasps from the other Silvers and plunged ahead. “My friends still require my assistance, as does the kingdom itself. Forces are on the move, and I fear for the continued health and survival of the people.”

“And what are the humanoids of Remnant to us Dragons?” another Silver spoke up from the other side dispassionately.

She turned to her, silver eyes flashing to stormy grey once more. “The populace of Remnant should be  _ everything _ to us Dragons. Our time, our glory, has already come and gone. This is the Age of Humanoids, and blatantly dismissing them is as callous as those who refused to act when Ember rose to power.”

The Silver who had spoken recoiled slightly, wincing at the reminder of the Ancient Red. “Strong words, hatchling,” she warned.

Ruby faced forward and looked pleadingly up at the Matriarch. “The Humanoids are so very worth protecting, or at the very least working with, cooperating with them as they cling tenaciously to this land.” Her fists clenched at her side determinedly. “Especially against Ember’s mate. Especially against Cindeshthyaleramathe. I know she’s planning something, I  _ know _ it. And I intend to stop her, to ensure the Orb is brought to Vale where they can use it to defend themselves against the renewed tyranny of the Red.”

The chamber fell silent as the matriarch regarded her bold statement.

“Such beliefs,” she finally rumbled, the pain evident in her words, “are what got your mother killed.”

“Yes, they are,” she responded with quiet intensity. “But I believe just as strongly as she did. Human, Elf, Faunus, Dwarf, Gnome… it doesn’t matter the race, what good is our power, our nobility, if it can’t be used for the betterment of others? Is this all we are as Dragons, content to sit upon our piles of riches and plot against each other?” 

Ruby couldn’t keep the look of surprise off her face as a very brief hint of a smile tugged at the edges of the Matriarch’s mouth. But then it was gone as if it had never been.

“I will ponder upon your request,” the Ancient Silver finally stated. “Please enjoy our hospitality in the meantime.”

Knowing that no matter what else she could say, her audience was now at an end, Ruby bowed deeply and followed Arslan back out of the chamber.

“So… did that go well?” Weiss asked softly.

“Better than I thought it would, honestly,” Arslan admitted just as quietly.

Ruby could only growl in frustration, however. “But now we have to wait on a decision,” she stated flatly, consternation clear in her expression.

“C’mon, Ruby,” her sister chuckled mildly. “You know Dragons take the long view on such matters.”

Qrow nodded and spoke up for the first time. “I’ll try to work on things, maybe nudge some in our favor who might have the Matriarch’s ear. I’ve got a surprising amount of pull here for an Onyx.”

“Depends on who you ask,” Arslan grumbled, leading the group further into the vast network of caves and caverns that made up the Hold.

Ruby sighed but nodded in acquiescence.  _ Just hold tight, _ she pleaded to the images of her friends she held in her head. Brash Nora, devout but loyal Ren, fierce Pyrrha, and of course the steadfast Jeanne.  _ I’ll come as soon as I can, just stay safe... _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I’m messing with the geography of Remnant a little bit here. In this world, the so-called ‘Dragon Island’ is substantially smaller, and without the large chunk at the bottom, more along the lines of the island of Vytal in size. And this is our first glimpse of the Hold, we’ll get more into it in two chapters, after we check back in with Coco and JNPR (and we’re in for a wild ride the next chapter). Oh, and hey, another couple of RWBY characters join the cast!
> 
> So, I’m down to one Beta now, but it’s all good. I have faith in KellyConnely to keep me on track.


	23. Maleficent Darkness

**Volume 3**

 

**Western Reaches of Vale**

“Now, I don't know what you think of when I say dragon.   
Whatever it is - it's not scary enough.”  
~ Rick Riordan, The Titan's Curse

 

“That,” Jeanne remarked, staring up at the imposing stone edifice, “is the biggest fortress I have ever seen.”

“I must concur,” Pyrrha murmured at her side, eyes wide with wonderment. “It looks to be positively ancient.”

“Yeah, I’ll say,” Coco grunted, her head tilted to the side consideringly. “Predates any civilization  _ I’ve _ ever heard of.”

The sprawling stone ruins were nestled in the crook of where a low hill ended and a mountain began. The towering walls could easily have held off armies in its heyday, and the gaping entrance large enough to easily fit a Dragon. No gates were in existence, and most of the towers had long since crumbled into ruin. The central structure seemed to be more or less intact, though, and would offer shelter if needed.

The blonde warrior turned her head to uneasily peer back the way they’d come. The clouds there were an ominous inky black, with streaks of distant flashes that formed a spiderweb of lightning. And the storm front was fast approaching in their direction.

“Whelp, I don’t know about you guys,” Nora chirped, “but I’m not in the mood to get drenched. Let’s go check it out, yeah?”

“Lead on, imp,” Coco grinned, gesturing forward grandly.

Jeanne had to chuckle at the courtly bow that Nora returned the gesture with. The pair had become fast friends, both entertaining a rather raunchy sense of humor that Nora must have been keeping hidden.  _ Wish she’d kept it hidden just a bit longer, _ she mused with some chagrin. Unfortunately, the blushes that such joking elicited from the rest of the party only fueled their hilarity.

They passed under the huge archway, somehow still intact even though the rest of the sprawling walls seemed ready to crumble at a stiff breeze. As they approached the enormous fortress nestled in the middle of the valley, she could tell it was surprisingly sound-looking. The front even seemed to have an intact door made out of solid metal, though it was propped open enough for them to probably squeeze through one at a time.

“Okay,” she breathed as they paused outside the portal. “Who wants to go inside the spooky castle first?”

“It’s not that bad, Jeannie,” her orange-haired friend chuckled. “Just a little… dusty.”

“Dust. Right,” she deadpanned in reply, clenching her shield and sword in her hands. Others might tease her for it, but she couldn’t help but cultivate an extraordinarily bad feeling about such situations.

She let out an involuntary  _ eep _ as thunder suddenly crashed behind them. Glancing over her shoulder, she was startled to see that the storm was almost upon them now.

Facing forward resolutely once more, Jeanne followed on the heels of her redheaded Knight, determined as always to watch her back and keep her from harm.

_ Not that I’ve been very successful at it, she’s been wounded several times on this journey, and often without me by her side. _ Her jaw clenched staunchly.  _ Then I need to make sure I never leave her side again. _ Not that it would all that much of a hardship, truly.

Jeanne looked around the cavernous entrance hall warily. Her brow furrowed as the details became clearer to her, from the height of the doorway they’d passed through to the arching ceiling above them, and then the stone bench that lined the wall across from them, except that it rose above the height of her head…

“Oh my Oum,” she breathed. “Did  _ Giants  _ build this castle?”

“Seems that way, yeah,” Coco mused, running her hands along the worn runes carved into the stone around the front entrance. “Not sure what type, though. Maybe Eldritch or… Well, it’s not high enough in the mountains for Storm Giants, and I don’t think Stone Giants would be civilized enough to bind together in such a fashion…”

The light in the room began to dim considerably as the storm swept in. The accompanying wind howled through the crack in the metal doors, bringing with it the damp smell of a promised deluge.

“We should move further inside,” Pyrrha stated over the noise. “Perhaps there is a chamber where we may light a fire.”

The group proceeded forth, Ren holding his staff over his head with a globe of light attached to it. They passed what looked to be a collapsed chamber set against the outer wall, but soon enough came to a comparatively smaller room, one with an actual fireplace, though the size of the thing was enough for all of them to comfortably sleep inside.

“Right,” the redheaded Knight stated firmly as she looked around the chamber. There was a door to the rear, this one made of some stout wood that had miraculously held up under the weight of time, though it was cracked and half falling apart. “Nora, guard the front, Jeanne the rear. The rest of us can get a fire going from the remains of this… Was this a bench? Anyway, let’s… Oh.”

Pyrrha paused with a chagrined look on her face. “Er, I apologize for presuming to order you about, Coco.”

“Don’t even worry about it,” the Bronze replied with a genial wave as she began to gather up large splinters of wood. “I’m along for the journey, and under your purview, so feel free to tell me what to do.”

“Better you than me,” Jeanne breathed with a smirk as she passed by her Knight. Pyrrha rewarded her with a light slap on her armored forearm, causing the blonde to chuckle lightly.

They had a camp set up relatively quickly. Turns were taken on watch and rudimentary meals eaten from what rations they still carried while the storm raged on outside.

“I don’t believe that’s going to let up anytime soon,” Coco murmured once she came back from investigating the other end of the hallway. Pyrrha could only sigh and nod as she reclined against the stone wall.

“I suppose we could camp here overnight.”

_ Oh, sure, let’s sleep in the creepy ancient castle, _ Jeanne grumbled internally as she cleaned and inspected her sword. The mundane weapon had a few nicks and scratches that she’d need to get ground off once they returned to civilization. It had served her well throughout the years, but with as much use as it was getting, she was seriously considering using some of her saved-up coin to purchase a new one.

_ Maybe with a small enchantment, even? No, I doubt I have that much lien, though I could buy a finely-crafted one that could eventually take an enchantment… _

_ Hey, maybe Ruby could enchant one for me. _

She smiled to herself softly as her mind wandered to her friends and companions now separated from their little group. Her friendship with Ruby seemed easy enough on the outside as they shared an oftentimes silly sense of humor and an enthusiasm for adventure. Even after she’d found out that her friend was, in reality, a Silver Dragon, it didn’t shake her faith in the brunette.

And then there was her sister, Yang, fellow blonde and boisterous brawler. The only reason Jeanne was still alive was thanks to the brash Gold Dragon, rescuing her from the Hellhounds and bringing her back to the surface along with a rather wet and soggy Nora. While she certainly owed her her life, she’d been proud to call her a companion and friend even before that. The blonde woman had a warmth to her, lifting up the spirits of others with jovial conversations, even if she were oftentimes overly affectionate with her Elven lover in front of the group. Said Mage, along with the Cat Faunus Rogue, were a bit more of a mystery to her as they weren’t as genuinely open as the others, but she thought she could still consider them friends. Weiss’ sharp wit and fighting skill, along with Blake’s dextrous combative ability and penchant for dry humor, made them both stalwart companions in her eyes.

The others began to settle down for the evening. As she was the first to stand guard earlier, and everyone else had a turn while the party ate, she volunteered for the initial watch that night.

The blonde paced slowly and as quietly as possible between the two portals. One was half-covered with rotting wood while the other stood open wide with no door whatsoever. The fire burned low, allowing her some amount of illumination still.

Jeanne paused at the rear doorway, peering into the darkness within. They hadn’t taken the time to explore very far, just enough to verify the existence of another long, wide corridor with a dusty stairwell winding downwards on the side.

It still gave her the creeps.

Shuddering slightly, the Knight-in-training turned and stalked back to the other entrance, careful not to disturb the others. As she passed, she heard the rustling of one of them as they turned restlessly, perhaps chilled from the dying embers in the fireplace.

She paused, frowning. No, that sound wasn’t coming from her companions, in fact, not even from the room at all…

Her eyes flew open wide as the dim light illuminated several shambling forms that emerged from the darkness by the open portal.

“Up!” she screamed, rushing forward. “We’re under attack!”

As she got closer, Jeanne could see the details, and immediately wished she hadn’t. Their attackers consisted of rotting corpses and animated skeletons, the latter carrying a variety of rusty weaponry. Growling, she slammed her shield into one zombie, sending it stumbling backwards, while slashing with her sword at a pair of skeletons wielding axes. She was determined to give the others time to assemble, and thankfully these undead creatures weren’t much of a threat.

At least, in small numbers. Before she knew it, putrid hands curled into chipped-nailed talons were digging at her from all sides while chittering skeletons hacked and hewed at her.

Fortunately, relief was not long in coming. A group of skeletons disintegrated into shards of bone as  _ Magnhild _ swept through them, its owner following on its heels with a steely glint in her eyes. Two pairs of grasping claws were yanked from where they’d been digging under her back armor as Coco hauled  them off, flinging the zombies at the wall where they were smashed into decaying body parts.

And then her Knight was there, emerald eyes glinting determinedly as she pulled Jeanne back. The golden-armored redhead looked as glorious as always, standing tall and proud with her shield set. Pyrrha drew her sword, sparing her squire a concerned glance.

“Are you well?” she asked quickly.

Jeanne nodded, having caught her breath now, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the woman who she would follow into the Abyss. The woman she’d lay her life down for without hesitation.

The armored pair easily repelled those undead who made it past the whirling dervishes of Coco and Nora, hacking at the zombies and shield-bashing those skeletons lacking a weapon with any sort of reach. Jeanne was curious as to their choice of strategy, seemingly just buying time, but she wasn’t about to question her Knight.

And then she picked up on the soft chanting from behind as it got louder until Ren finished his incantation with a shout. Bright white light washed over them, and where it touched an undead, they disintegrated into ash.

Jeanne laughed lightly as her shoulders sagged. It hadn’t been a terribly difficult or hazardous fight, but a bit tiring nonetheless. “Zombies and skeletons. Told you this was a terrible place to stop.”

“Pfft, like these were any real threat,” Nora scoffed, cleaning the head of her hammer off on the heel of her boot. “Just a late-night bit of exercise.”

“We have a problem,” Coco interrupted their banter, staring into the room with a frown creasing her face. “Where’s the Orb?”

Paling, Jeanne dashed forward to the satchel where it had been secured.

_ Had _ , being the operative word.

“Oum’s balls,” the blonde muttered angrily.

Ren offered her a quiet, “Language,” as he passed, but Pyrrha paused at her side, wearing a matching frown to Coco’s.

“This was a distraction.”

“Looks like it,” the Bronze sighed, cracking the knuckles on each of her hands.

“Can you track it?”

“Yeah, sort of, and you’re not gonna like it.”

Jeanne hung her head as she rose from her crouch. “Down?”

“Down.”

“Son of an Orc,” the blonde sighed, gripping her shield. “ _ Knew _ this was a bad idea.”

“Gear up,” Pyrrha ordered, striding over to complete the assembly of her hastily donned armor. “We don’t know what we shall face, but it is imperative we retrieve the Orb from the thief.”

“A thief who can control undead,” Ren reminded them all mildly.

Jeanne moaned quietly as she followed the others, assuming the rear guard. Her bad feeling was growing with each step, but Pyrrha was correct. They’d come entirely too far to let whatever it was keep hold of that Orb.

They descended the winding stone staircase, Ren once again holding up a glowing orb of magical light on the end of his staff. After what felt like hundreds of yards, deep enough that she wondered why she wasn’t feeling the fires of the Magma Plane by now, the staircase ended in a wide, dark hallway. It stretched on ahead of them past the comforting circle of Ren’s light.

“How big is this?” she whispered.

Coco turned her head from where she’d been inspecting the wall off to the right. “I can’t see the end.”

“Well, damn.”

“I’m a bit more concerned with the sides here than the end, in any case.”

“What do you…?” Jeanne’s eyes traveled over to where Coco had been staring. The wall itself looked like it was pockmarked with holes, though they were sealed off with dusty cobwebs. And then lining the walls on the floor were large rectangles of stone laid down, stretching out to the center but allowing passage down the middle.

It only took a moment for her brain to catch up. “Is this a crypt?”

“Yep,” the Bronze sighed. “The larger stone biers look to belong to the Giant rulers, while the smaller holes are the servants, must have been humanoid-sized.”

Jeanne was still for a moment while the others peered about anxiously.

“We’re in a  _ crypt _ ,” the blonde finally stated flatly. “Pursuing someone who can control the undead.”

“That about sums the situation up, yes,” Pyrrha sighed. “Ren?”

“I can feel them stirring,” the Cleric murmured. “I can take care of the weaker ones, but we must be prepared for a fight.”

“Always,” Nora grinned stepping in front of her lover and holding her massive warhammer at the ready. “Bring ‘em on.”

As Ren began his incantation, Jeanne nervously watched as the dusty holes seemed to show some activity, the curtain-like spiderwebs parting eventually to reveal more skeletons, though these were in considerably poorer state than the ones from upstairs. Before any of the undead could even reach the floor, Ren had finished, and the familiar white light flared out. As it did, Jeanne could spy the end of the immensely long chamber almost a mile in the distance.

“Aww, I didn’t get to smash anything,” Nora pouted.

“You still have the chance to do so,” Ren reported tensely. “There’s a group of… something… headed this way from in front of us.”

“That’s not very specific,” Pyrrha murmured, setting herself into a defensive stance on the left flank. Jeanne automatically mirrored her on the right, giving Nora and Coco room to maneuver in the middle.

“No, it’s not,” Ren admitted. “Definitely undead, though.”

“Goodie,” the blonde muttered under her breath.

It didn’t take long for the snarling and scrabbling to reach her ears, followed soon thereafter by abominations plucked directly out of her more ghastly nightmares. The hairless creatures scrabbled forward on all fours, skin a mottled greenish-grey and with ichor dripping from their fanged maws.

“Ghouls!” Ren shouted as they rapidly approached. “Don’t let them scratch or bite you!”

“Yeah, that was definitely the plan,” Jeanne shuddered, readying her shield. The first howling, slobbering monster hurled itself onto her shield, wrapping its foul-smelling limbs around it and dragging her sideways.

“Shit!” she barked, stumbling. Two more were on the heels of the first, reaching out eagerly to feast on her warm flesh.

Screaming, Jeanne turned her stumble into a sidestep, pinning the first Ghoul to the ground under her shield while she lashed out behind her. One of her attackers lost its head immediately, while the other reared back, clutching the stump of its missing hand. She twirled her sword, plunging it into the neck of the immobilized Ghoul before jumping back to her feet, dragging her shield out of the clutches of the skewered opponent.

The last Ghoul lunged at her, jaws snapping furiously, but she managed to get her shield up and around in time, bringing her sword down hard on the crown of its head. As soon as the Ghoul dropped, she spun around, searching out her companions.

Nora was the first one her eyes came across, and she was definitely in trouble. A half-dozen of the feral creatures lay at her feet, but another had latched onto her arm, gnawing away fiercely. The orange-haired warrior was stumbling backwards with a dazed look on her face, while her weapon dropped from nerveless hands.

Growling, Jeanne sprinted forward to help her friend. Her eyes flashed to the side, almost causing her to trip as she saw yet another type of undead that was battling Coco and Pyrrha. They had glowing red eyes and long white hair, grim visages split by horrific grins. The one Pyrrha battled wore some ancient sort of dark metal armor and fought with a greatsword, while Coco was hard-pressed by another pair with unnaturally long claws. The Bronze seemed to be favoring her left side, the arm there hanging limp and useless.

She gave herself a shake and bore in on Nora, who had now fallen onto her side, staring sightlessly off into the distance while the Ghoul crouched over her eagerly. With an angry roar, she slammed into the undead creature, sending it flying. It righted itself with impressive agility, furious at being denied its meal, and hurtled in once more only to be impaled on her sword.

“Nora!” she shouted anxiously, turning her friend onto her back. The arm wound was fairly alarming in its own right, but her seeming immobility worried her more. “Hey, Nora, come on, girl! Snap out of it!”

“Allow me,” a gentle voice interjected at her side. Ren crouched down, one hand pressed to Nora’s forehead as he murmured a prayer. And then the hammer-wielder sucked in a breath and screamed in their faces.

Jeanne recoiled, but Ren seemed to be expecting it and ran his hands down her arm. Almost in no time at all the wound was sealed shut and Nora’s screaming faded away into a whimper.

“I gotta go help the others with… whatever those things are,” Jeanne stated hurriedly as she hauled herself to her feet. She paused at Ren’s restraining hand on her arm.

“They are Wights,” he stated, a hint of worry in his features. “Powerful undead, with a touch that can wither. They drain aura, stay out of range if you can.”

“Right,” Jeanne sighed.  _ Just keeps getting better. _ “What, were they working with the Ghouls?”

“No, they seemed to have come up from under one of the biers that opened.”

With a resolute nod, Jeanne hurried forward. Pyrrha seemed to be holding her own well enough, keeping the sword-wielding Wight at bay and even scoring a few hits, but Coco was in even worse shape now, grimacing as she inexpertly wielded a sword much like the first one’s. Her blue eyes flickered to the side where the bodies of another pair of Wights lay, evidently already felled by the duo.

She didn’t give any warning as she sailed in, slashing viciously at the rearmost unarmed Wight. It reared back, howling, but she pressed her attack without remorse. Jeanne kept her shield moving to intercept those hideously long claws long enough for her to score another pair of hits, finally succeeding in causing it to stumble to the ground weakly. Another sword thrust ended its miserable existence.

A shout of warning was all she got, but still she managed to turn in time to catch a glowing green sword on her shield. She gritted her teeth and pushed some of her aura into her arm, both strengthening and protecting it as yet another armored Wight pressed into her. Her feet skidded back as she leaned forward, trying to get an angle to thrust with her sword.

But then a hand snaked out from her attacker. The pressure eased somewhat as the Wight was now only wielding its sword with a single hand, but that was of little comfort as her sword arm went numb. She stared down in horror as the skin on her wrist where the Wight had managed to find a gap in her armor was now a sickly-looking grey.

Her weapon clattered to the floor and she was pushed further back.

“Little help here!” she called out in a panic.

And then Coco came in swinging, battering away her attacker and giving her some respite. While the Bronze dealt with the sword-wielder, though, Jeanne was left unarmed and facing the brunette’s original long-clawed attacker.

“Oh, you little piece of Kobold shit,” Jeanne moaned, turning to keep her paralyzed arm behind her. Sure enough, the Wight launched itself forward only to latch onto her shield, much as the first Ghoul had. This type of undead, however, was far stronger, and managed to wrench it from her grasp, the leather straps tearing and almost wrenching her arm out of her socket.

Leaving her standing, bare-handed, in front of the ravenous-looking monster.

“ _ Eep, _ ” she squeaked, backpedaling rapidly.

Unfortunately, that was the exact wrong tactic to pursue. Her feet suddenly went out from below her as she toppled over the edge of the gaping hole where the Wights had originated from. Startled, the blonde managed to still grab hold of the edge with her good arm.

Her feet swaying, Jeanne looked down into the seemingly bottomless pit.

“This,” she murmured dazedly, “is  _ not  _ how I expected to go out.”

Years of strength training had given her impressive muscles, but at that moment with the entirety of her weight, armor and all, hanging off of one hand, she knew she wouldn’t last very long.

In fact, she was already starting to slip.

“Pyrrha!” she screamed desperately. She glanced down once more, hoping that perhaps it wasn’t all that far down. But then the body of a slain Wight went tumbling past her, and she couldn’t hear it hit bottom.

Regrets flashed through her mind in the span of a heartbeat, mostly concerning Pyrrha, but she couldn’t begrudge the way fate had brought them together. Had she not become a squire, she never would have met the gorgeous redhead. Destiny just seemed to have a problem with her being happy in the end, she supposed.

And then her aching fingers finally gave way.

She’d fallen only perhaps a foot before strong hands clamped down on her wrist. Startled, Jeanne looked up and into familiar turquoise eyes that stared at her merrily, upside-down.

“Not today, Jeannie!” the orange-haired hammer-wielder cheered from where she dangled, the backs of her knees hooked over the edge.

“Nora,” the blonde sighed with a smile. “Er, arm all better?”

“Yep, much better!” she grinned in reply. “Okay, so hang on, on the count of three. One… Two…”

With a grunted “Three!” the pink-armored warrior heaved Jeanne up and across her body, spilling her to the ground beside the crypt hole. And then Nora gave another grunt to pull herself up, collapsing in a heap next to her friend.

“We got ‘em all?” Jeanne murmured wearily.

“Yep!”

“Good, good… So, I’m just gonna lay here for a few, be a dear and let Ren know my arm is a weird color of grey and I can’t move it.”

“Ooooh, cool,” Nora burbled, leaning over to inspect the paralyzed limb. She gave it a few experimental pokes with her finger. “Yeah, Coco had the same problem, I’ll send him over once he’s done with her!”

“Thanks, Nora,” she sighed.

Before too long the party was healed up and moving forward once more. Jeanne flexed the fingers of her right hand around the hilt of her sword, reassuring herself it was fully functional again.

Her eyes drifted over to Coco, who had an occasional pained expression on her face. Ren had done what he could, but her own aura needed to do the rest. 

It took a good ten minutes of cautious walking to reach the end of the crypt. The next passageway was plainer and unadorned, though there were several open doorways leading off.

“Coco,” the redhead whispered. “Can you tell where the Orb is?”

The Bronze shook her head slightly. “It’s relatively nearby, so they didn’t take it from the castle, but I can’t exactly get a direction. I don’t think we need to go any further down, though. Um… We’re definitely getting closer.”

“Good enough,” Pyrrha replied with a warm smile. “Let us know if that changes.”

They entered the first chamber, some sort of feasting hall with a stone table and benches obviously meant for the Giant-sized builders. Jeanne thought it to be a tad morbid to hold a feast that close to where they buried folk, but there was no accounting for other creature’s cultures. At the other end was a barren kitchen, sized for the humanoid servants. The rusted iron door leading from there was sealed tight, not budging even from Nora and Coco’s combined efforts.

Backtracking, they came across an audience chamber next. It was empty save for bare iron flagpoles lining the walls up near the cavernous domed ceiling and a large stone throne at the far end.

Sitting on the throne, slumped forward and clutching an enormous two-handed sword, was an armored skeletal figure, coated in dust and neglect.

“Huh,” Nora mused as she walked forward. “Looks like the king was the last one left.”

“Odd that he just expired on the throne,” Coco agreed by her side.

“Um, guys?” Jeanne called out warily. “Let’s not approach the giant-sized skeleton, okay?”

“It’s not moving,” Nora protested. She paused, though, as she saw the expression on her boyfriend’s face. “Renny? Everything okay?”

“Something… is here,” he whispered, face screwed up as he tried to sort out what he was sensing. Oum, the light-bringer and life-giver, was the perfect deity for battling the forces of the undead. Jeanne knew from her lessons that Ren had the ability to sense most undead and other foul creatures of darkness, lending credence to the hackles raised on the back of her neck.

“We should go,” Pyrrha declared, inching backwards. “I don’t see another entrance leading from here…”

“Too late,” Jeanne squawked as the large skeleton suddenly lit up with a dark necrotic energy, crackling across its blackened armor and sword. The eyesockets inset into its skull began to glow an unearthly red.

“Ooooh, shitbiscuits,” Nora said, her hammer in both hands at the ready. “So, a skeleton made out of a Giant, huh? Easy-peasy.”

“No, Nora,” Ren choked out. He seemed to be affected by the fel energy exuding from the creature as it rose to its full height, towering twice as high as any of them.

“Ren, what is it?” Pyrrha called out anxiously. The undead seemed in no hurry to engage them, standing there with its sword still clasped point-down as its gaze drifted around those assembled.

The Cleric’s next words sent chills down Jeanne’s spine.

“It’s a Death Knight.”

“A… A Death Knight?” the squire squawked. “How? I mean, yeah, powerful warrior, bind their soul to their weapon through dark magics and all… But a  _ Giant _ one?”

Right before her eyes, though, was the irrefutable proof of the power of this undead titan. Sinews and flesh started to wind their way around the exposed limbs, and it began to form a face. A horrible, evilly-leering face. And then a dry, mocking chuckle sounded from the depths of the monster.

“Oh, we are so screwed,” Jeanne breathed.

She desperately tried to summon up her knowledge of Death Knights from her lectures while still at the Order of Artemis chapterhouse. They were formed from a mighty warrior and animated as an undead creature by the gods of death, evil deities, demon lords, or other malevolent forces, granted eternal undeath rather than face the end of their mortal existence. They retained most of their cunning and intellect, but some also gained extra fel powers.

Their strength, however, rested in their soul-bound weapon which could inflict hideous damage.

“Hit it, now!” Pyrrha called out fiercely, finally overcoming the transfixion caused by the Death Knight’s appearance.

As one, the party surged forward to the attack. Nora sailed in first, her warhammer swinging in a wide arc that never connected. Instead, the Death Knight simply shifted its weapon to the side, effortlessly deflecting the attack. A massive boot swung out with surprising speed, catching Nora in the stomach and sending her across the room to land head-first against the wall in a limp heap.

Coco let out an angry roar as she leapt up high, fist cocked back to deliver a powerful blow, but as with Nora it never landed. The titan’s free hand whipped out, catching the Bronze by her face and smashing her down into the stone floor, cracking the tiles and sending shards everywhere. 

Pyrrha and Jeanne waded in together, separating to attack from opposite sides. The Giant’s sword was finally hefted overhead, descending down towards Jeanne first. She skipped to the side, catching the end of the blow on her shield but still staggering from the power of it until she fell over backwards. Her redheaded Knight darted in, striking deadly and fast before retreating again. The Death Knight actually seemed to notice that, turning its head and regarding her levelly. With a seeming nod of respect, the looming monster headed Pyrrha’s way, twirling the massive sword before engaging.

The Mistralian Knight managed to just barely keep ahead of the whirlwind of blows from a sword easily the length of a humanoid-sized pike. Sparks flew from her shield from one too many near-misses, but she was unable to get close enough to cause any sort of damage.

Jeanne regained her footing, weaving slightly. The sword hadn’t even touched her, and yet still she felt drained and weak. A hand landed on her shoulder, and she sucked in a refreshing breath as her limbs seemed filled with energy once more.

“Distract him if you can,” Ren advised as he headed off towards where Nora landed.

Nodding, Jeanne took off in a sprint. She let out a bellowed challenge as she neared, causing the Death Knight to turn slightly.

Her strike against its thigh was likely barely even noticeable, but it was enough of an irritant for the monster to bat at her again. She took the sword strike solidly on her shield, and gasped as the potency of it both dented it in and sent her skidding backwards to land flat on her back.

The diversion was enough to allow Pyrrha to land a series of her own hits, and  _ that _ certainly got the titan’s attention. With a low growl that sounded as if it came from the very bowels of Remnant, the Death Knight slammed its armored boot down. The redhead easily avoided the stomp, but the resulting shockwave and flying debris sent her hurtling against the wall. She still kept her footing, though blood trickled down from her nose and she looked rather wobbly.

But then another fierce cry sounded. Jeanne’s head whipped around to spy a battered and bruised Coco crouched with her hands laced together. The Bronze was just completing the action of hurling Nora, the blood streaming down her face not covering up her fierce grin and with her warhammer hefted over her head in both hands, towards the Death Knight.

The Giant undead only had the time to turn before it received the full strength of  _ Magnhild _ to its face. Stunned, it staggered back and dropped to the floor, soul weapon clattering out of its hands.

_ It lost its grip on the sword! _ she thought eagerly, rolling unsteadily to her feet.  _ It’s weakened now! _

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Pyrrha was there, long red ponytail streaming behind her as she darted in and swung a mighty blow against the monster’s neck.

Jeanne let out a sigh of relief as the dark energy faded from the creature. A loud  _ crack _ filled the chamber as the Soulsword shattered into pieces.

“Okay,” Nora cheered softly as she staggered to her feet, using her warhammer as a crutch. “As awesome as that was, let’s not do it again anytime soon.”

“That was indeed a rather imposing creature,” Pyrrha agreed quietly as she joined the others. Her emerald eyes flickered over Jeanne probingly. “Is everyone well?”

Coco chuckled as she twisted and turned, bones popping as she did so. “Hurt like a bitch, but yeah, I’ll live.”

“Well enough,” Jeanne added. She held up her shield ruefully. “I have a dent.”

“That you do,” her redheaded Knight laughed lightly. “Better it than you, though, yes?”

“Most definitely,” the blonde murmured.

Ren set to work, healing up what he could and refreshing their energies from the debilitating attacks from the necrotic monster. Since time was still of the essence, the party managed to go through their meager supply of both aura and stamina regeneration potions to supplement his efforts.

“What do we have left?” Pyrrha asked Ren softly as he checked his pouches.

He sighed morosely. “Two healing potions, and they’re not all that strong. But I am fully restored, so long as we do not have anything major left to confront, it should suffice.”

“Ren,” the blonde implored solemnly. “Did you really need to go and jinx us?”

The raven-haired half-Elf smiled gently. “I shall pray to Oum for luck.”

“Oh. Well, that works, then.”

They exited the chamber and headed further down the hallway, passing several empty rooms of uncertain function. Eventually, the hallway made a sharp right, ending in a cave-in after another hundred yards. Just before that, however, was what seemed to be a rough-hewn side passage, sized for humanoids rather than the Giant lords of this ancient, crumbling fortress.

Resolutely, the five adventurers picked their way along the corridor hewn from solid rock. It twisted and turned as it went until it opened up into a vast chamber, softly lit by a bioluminescent lake but with the outer reaches still hidden in the shadows. The floor dropped sharply away from them, littered with rubble and stalagmites, while the ceiling soared overhead.

“See anything?” Pyrrha murmured. 

Ren immediately shook his head but responded in a worried murmur. “Definitely undead in this chamber, as well as… something else.”

“Uh-oh,” Coco whispered, her eyes flashing a molten gold as she removed her darkly tinted glasses.

“What?” Jeanne squawked anxiously. “What was that for? What do you mean, ‘uh-oh’?”

“I mean, uh-oh,” Coco smirked warily back at her. “As in, we’re in for one helluva fight.”

“Greetings!” an ominous voice rumbled through the darkness. “I get so few visitors nowadays!”

“Great,” Nora giggled somewhat maniacally. “A beastie with a sense of humor. Um, what kinda beastie are we talkin’ about here?”

Something moved at the far end of the chamber, stirring in the darkness. Jeanne strained to make out the shape but began to take involuntary steps backwards as the sheer size of it began to become evident. Ethereally-glowing blue eyes peered malevolently towards them from a height that was not at all reassuring.

And then with a muted  _ thud _ it took a step forward. Gaunt, skeletal limbs edged into the dim lighting, followed by a massive body with a pair of cadaverous wings that unfurled overhead.

Coco growled low in her throat, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Dracolich,” she spat out fiercely.

“D- Dracolich?” Jeanne squeaked. “L- Like, a Dragon that, um, turned into a Lich? One of the most powerful undead, that kinda Lich?”

“Yes,” the brunette snarled. “An abomination to all of Dragonkind.”

“Ah, but we are not so unlike, you and I,” the leviathan chuckled darkly. “You merely retain the lifeforce I abandoned for eternal existence.” Dusty scales slithered against the stone as it slowly crept forward. “But where are my manners? My name is Zeuzelliannaeraeisoranth, at your service.”

Jeanne’s knees felt weak as the monster’s gaze traveled over her, her hands trembling and barely able to retain her weapon. Ren seemed to be the most heavily affected, sinking to his knees with his hands clutched to his head, while Nora was unable to lift her hammer, standing there and shaking like a leaf. Pyrrha had her expression set resolutely but was unable to move, seemingly all of her energy currently being spent in keeping upright and not shrinking back like the blonde was.

“Enough!” Coco roared, her voice becoming guttural and coarse. “You want to pick a fight, you big evil bastard, you got one!”

With that the brunette sprinted forward, leaping off of a boulder as she sailed in towards the Dracolich. As she launched herself into the air, her form shimmered, and an enraged Bronze Dragon slammed into the undead monstrosity. As the two titanic forms wrestled, rolling back into the darkness, the lethargy that had overtaken the group was quickly shaken off.

“Oum,” Jeanne breathed unsteadily. She shook her head vigorously, twin blonde pigtails swishing around her face. “I thought I’d never be able to move again!”

“Pity it didn’t last longer,” a dark, feminine voice hissed from the shadows to her right. “Would have made this easier.”

The noise from the titanic struggle below them had covered up the approach of numerous gaunt figures who now ringed around the group. They all looked to be severely malnourished, wearing rags and often shoeless. Most of the humanoid races seemed to be represented, mostly Human though a goodly number of Elves, Halflings, and Gnomes, one emaciated Dwarf whose beard was shorn off, and a pair of Wolf Faunus.

All of them regarded the group with hungry, malevolent eyes.

“Ren?” Pyrrha barked out as the four of them drew back into an outward-facing circle.

The Cleric gripped his staff determinedly. “Vampires,” he spat out as if the very word was foul to the tongue.

Another figure stepped forward, a woman with long hair the color of night and abbreviated blood-red armor. She held a two-handed sword casually, the blade of which was embedded with sharp edges to cause more pain than actual damage.

“Our Master has kept us on a rather short leash,” the female Vampire Lord grinned, her fangs flashing in the light cast by Ren’s spell. “You don’t mind if my minions sate their appetite, do you?”

“Actually,” the raven-haired half-Elf intoned, flicking the end of his staff with his fingers to send the globe of light drifting upward. “We do.”

With that, Ren’s free hand was held out in front of him, index and middle fingers extended upwards together as he shouted a word that seared briefly through Jeanne’s mind. The Vampire Spawn facing him, however, were affected far more strongly, several of them collapsing into fiery ash while others writhed on the ground, screaming and tearing at their own bodies with their talons.

After that rather obvious declaration of their intent, the battle was joined.

Nora threw herself forward with her usual foolhardy exuberance, her hammer catching a trio of the lesser Vampires and tossing them away like the discarded body parts they now were. Jeanne darted forward as well, trusting in Pyrrha and Ren at her back to be able to handle themselves. She soon had her hands full with the pair of Faunus Vampires as they slammed into her shield, trying to overwhelm her defenses.

She deftly flicked her sword across the top of her shield, severing a few fingers of the incautious undead as well as blinding an eye of the one who had thrust her jaws at her. The female Wolf Faunus Vampire recoiled enough for Jeanne to twist the grip on her sword, plunging it down and into the chest of the male before sending him away with a shield bash. Then she lunged, skewering the first opponent through her belly before resetting her posture.

And then she gaped openly as the pair of Vampires righted themselves, ignoring the gaping wounds and advancing once more.

“Right,” she growled heatedly. “So you’re a little tougher, just means I have to take more pieces out of you.”

This time, she went onto the offensive, lopping off the right arm of the first Vampire before spinning low and slicing into the other’s legs. She followed the male Faunus Vampire down, bringing her sword down across his neck and severing his head from his shoulders.

Jeanne chuckled breathlessly as she righted herself. “Let’s see you shrug  _ that _ off…”

With a screech of fury, the female threw herself at the blonde warrior, scrabbling with her remaining clawed hand as she fought for purchase. Jeanne wasn’t about to give her any, however, and first thrust her sword straight through the Vampire’s gaping mouth, the blade extending back like a reversed tongue, before retracing it and slashing outward to deal the same fate as the other.

As soon as her opponent dropped, however, the blonde had to skip backwards to avoid the fierce overhand strike from the Vampire Lord. Gulping, Jeanne set herself back in a guarded position, waiting for an opening to charge in.

“Impertinent little girl,” the raven-haired Vampire sneered, twirling her two-handed sword in her hands. “Your blood will taste just as sweet, voluntary or no.”

“Yeah, you’re gonna have to fight for it,” Jeanne grinned, her sword pointed unerringly at the woman’s head. “And I’m not gonna make it easy for you.”

“All the better,” the Vampire Lord snarled before hurtling forward.

Jeanne was hard-pressed to keep her shield up before the whirlwind of strikes, the Vampire moving with an unearthly speed and grace. Soon enough both shield and sword were desperately trying to keep the blade away from her, though with only limited success as evidenced by her numerous bleeding cuts.

_ Must be enchanted, my aura doesn’t block it and can’t stop the bleeding… I take one good hit and I’m done for... _

With an angry shout, Jeanne pushed herself forward and under the woman’s guard. The Vampire Lord’s eyes widened in surprise before her face was smashed in by the blonde’s shield. The attack only lasted for the span of a heartbeat or two before the Knight-in-training was hurled backwards, barely retaining her footing.

And then the raven-haired Vampire was advancing on her, eyes blazing with fury and spittle trailing from the corners of her mouth.

“Ooooh, crap,” Jeanne moaned softly. “I really pissed her off, now…”

Before her opponent could close with her, however, a red-hilted sword deftly sailed in, and the raven-tressed head went flying to the side, body crumpling soon thereafter to the ground.

Jeanne sagged to one knee, looking up and into the emerald green eyes of her Knight. “Thanks,” she whispered, thrusting her sword point-down and leaning on it for support.

“Well, I’m sure you had things in hand,” Pyrrha replied, her tone light but face solemn as she looked her wounds over. “But blood can be such a pain to scrub off of armor.”

“True enough,” the blonde chuckled. She froze as Pyrrha’s gloveless hand snuck forward, cupping her bleeding cheek.

“We should have Ren heal you,” the redhead murmured after a seeming eternity.

“I… I can wait,” she whispered back, yearning for her hand to stay forever and yet wanting to flee at the same time. Like a rabbit caught in a snare, though, she couldn’t move even if she truly wanted to. “Wh- What about Coco? Is… Is she…?”

“They still fight,” Pyrrha affirmed, dropping her hand with a sigh of reluctance. “I’m afraid we can do little to help, though.”

A bellow sounded through the chamber, one that seemed to trail off into a whine before answered by another furious roar. And then the entire cavern, vast as it was, shook. 

Pyrrha helped her squire to her feet, the both of them walking over to stand next to Nora and Ren as they watched the gargantuan struggle below them.

Only flashes were to be seen, really, though mostly of the great Bronze as the light would shine off of her scales. What little they could see, however, told that while Coco was bleeding profusely, she was giving as well as she got. Jeanne knew that Liches, as a rule, had potent necrotic powers, likely magnified in the Dragon equivalent, but hopefully with Coco being in such close proximity and engaging in melee combat, they wouldn’t come into play.

And then a tremendous  _ smash _ resounded through the chamber, the Bronze Dragon becoming visible once more, though this time in far more dire straights. The Dracolich had her pinned on her back, talons digging into her and gaping mouth poised to snap down on her neck.

Coco had one more play to make, however, as she opened her mouth and blew a fireball at her opponent’s face. As she couldn’t suck in much of a breath with the undead monster perched atop her chest, it wasn’t overly powerful, but it was enough to make the Dracolich rear back in anger.

And then the Bronze pushed out with her back legs, sending the other Dragon flailing into the rear wall of the cavern.

Another strong tremor rang out, shaking the floor beneath them. Bits and pieces of the roof began to drop, starting at the rear and steadily moving towards where the four adventurers stood.

“Um…” Jeanne began to warily back up. “Perhaps we should…?”

“I agree,” Pyrrha shouted, turning and beginning to run back into the tunnel. “Come on!”

“Wait!” Nora shouted from where she brought up the rear.

“Nora, she’s a Dragon, she can take care of-”

“No, the Orb! We didn’t get the Orb!”

“It’s alright, Nora,” Ren stated over his shoulder. “The Vampire Lord had it in her pouch.”

“Well, thank Oum for small favors,” Jeanne panted. The sweat from her sudden sprint stung the numerous cuts across her face and neck, but soon enough they were back in the chiseled corridor of the original fortress. More crashing sounds followed them, soon followed by a coughing figure who flung herself next to them among a billowing cloud of dust and debris.

“Coco!” the orange-haired warrior cheered, flinging her arms around her friend’s neck.

“Hey there, imp,” the Bronze chuckled weakly. “Didn’t doubt me, did you?”

“Never!”

Ren crouched at her side in concern. “Your injuries are quite extensive, many of them debilitating…”

“Yeah, thing about Dracoliches,” the brunette groaned as Nora helped her into a sitting position. “Necrotic bite. Got a good piece of my side here.”

Jeanne gasped as she saw the amount of blood that matted the Bronze Dragon’s side. It was coated in grey dust, but a fresh amount of the red liquid was quickly spreading.

“Just sit back and relax,” the Cleric advised. “I can remove the necrotic effects, but much of the rest will be up to you.”

“Nothing I’m not used to,” Coco sighed wearily. “Please, please tell me we got it back.”

“We did,” Pyrrha affirmed warmly as she stepped over to Jeanne. She held out a small blue vial of liquid to the blonde, who gratefully accepted the healing draught. “Perhaps we should rest upstairs some before traveling further, though.”

“Be nice to at least get some sleep,” Jeanne agreed, sighing in relief as her numerous wounds closed up.

After Ren was done, Nora and Pyrrha both helped Coco along, one on each side with the tall brunette’s arms around their shoulder.

Jeanne stood guard to the rear as usual, her sapphire blue eyes trailing the group anxiously, worried about their Draconic companion.

_ Perhaps a bit more rest will do her some good… I shudder to think of another fight like that last one and what it might do to her. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, enough action there for ya? I’d actually planned on some Dread Wraiths making an appearance, but I kinda ran out of space. Jeanne is like that one character in a horror movie that nobody listens to. “No, don’t go down there alone, really you don’t want to do that… Why are we splitting up? Whose brilliant idea was it to split up?”
> 
> Anyway, I am sooo happy with the way this one turned out. I have another pair of chapters in this style lined up for the end of this volume, I think I’ll move the Wraiths there. And then of course there’s volume four, which is just chock-full of the stuff. I had entirely too much fun delving into my set of D&D Monster Manuals, heh (with liberties taken, of course). When my eyes fell upon the Dracolich entry, the evil cackles emanating from my room were glorious indeed.
> 
> Quick aside, I’ve seen several folk note how the first four seasons of RWBY are season-themed. And then I realized, huh, so is this story. Volume 1 is Spring, as the fellowship comes together: Happy, light, fun. Volume 2 is Summer, as the fellowship journeys to retrieve the Orb: Strong, passionate, adventurous. Volume 3, where we are now, is Fall, with the fellowship broken and under increasingly dire straits: Somewhat dark and increasingly gloomy. And then there’s Volume 4, Winter, where all the accumulated shit finally hits the fan. Aren’t you all glad you have that to look forward to? (I will try to keep it from the ‘horrifying level of darkness’ that many have predicted for the upcoming RWBY Volume 4.) (No promises.)


	24. Bargaining with Relations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LEMON WARNING: This chapter contains sexual content.

**Volume 3**

**Silver Dragon Hold**

"The hunger of a dragon is slow to wake, but hard to sate."  
~ Ursula K. Le Guin

Yang's fingers dug into the sheets on either side of her, a desperate whine issuing from her swollen lips. Her lover was taking her time, drawing out the pleasure as she worked her way across her body, covering every sweaty inch with kisses, licks, and bites.

Her whine turned into a sharp gasp as Weiss drew one large, pointed areola into her mouth and gently bit down. She knew her eyes would be a raging crimson at this point, wide and wild-looking, as she stared down at the petite Elf who was just as naked as she was.

In reply, Weiss gave her a little smirk as she released the nipple with a soft _pop_. Wordlessly, the platinum-haired woman continued her journey downwards, running her nails down Yang's inner thighs as her breath ghosted over her labia.

Groaning, the blonde's hips bucked, but her lover was prepared for that, moving her head up and out of the way.

"Weiss… you're killing me here…" she moaned. It trailed off into a whimper as a delicate tongue brushed along her outer lips, ever so slowly caressing just outside of where she wanted, no, _needed_ it to be.

" _Weissss_ …" Yang hissed desperately. Her back arched, then, as she felt a pair of cool, delicate fingers pry her outer lips apart and a small mouth wrap around her swollen clit. Her panting increased as Weiss alternated between sucking, licking, and gently biting down on her most sensitive area.

And then those cool finger slipped inside her, slowly moving in and out in tune with her oral ministrations. It didn't take too long for the blonde to let out an ecstatic scream as her world exploded.

Dimly, she heard her Elven girlfriend laughing softly as she crawled up her side, contentedly licking her fingers off before snuggling into the crook of her arm with her platinum tresses spilling out across her chest.

Yang's eyes, now back to a soft lilac in color, lazily drifted around the room that she'd been staying in for the past few days as she regained her senses. It was stone-lined but with enough amenities, such as a pair of small chairs and a little table, a dresser with a mirror, and a washbasin, to make it feel comfortable for the guests of the Silver Dragons, rare though they might be.

It reminded her a bit of the chambers where she was raised as a hatchling in the Bronze Dragon Aerie, which made her sigh softly as her mind took a downward turn once again.

_Oums' blood, can I not just enjoy the time I have with this woman? What little time remains?_

Her arm wrapped around the slender Elven woman, pulling her into a tight embrace. "It's getting late," she murmured.

"Hrm," was the disconsolate answer as Weiss burrowed her face into the blonde's bosom.

Laughing, Yang reached over to poke her gently in the side, causing the platinum-haired Mage to squirm. "You know you can't be caught here in the morning."

Weiss sighed as she sat upright, pulling aside her curtain of pale hair with an equally pale hand. "I feel like a teenager, sneaking out of your room like this," she grumbled before pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Are you…?" Yang sat up as well, ducking her head to peer at her lover. "Are you _pouting_?"

"No," the Elf pouted. "And besides which, you say I should know, but I don't, Yang. I _don't_ know because I don't understand this at all." Pale blue eyes misted over as Weiss' lower lip trembled ever so slightly. "Are you ashamed of me, of being with a non-Dragon?"

"No! _Oum_ , no!" Yang swept her girlfriend up into her arms once again, hugging her tightly to her chest. Gods, just hearing the hurt in her voice right then sent a stab of pain through her very soul. "I would never be ashamed of you," she continued in a softer tone. "I love you, Weiss."

"And I love you, Yang," the muffled voice replied as the other woman returned the hug. "But why can't we be together like we have been? Why must I sneak into your chambers at night, and back to my own before sunrise?"

"It's…" Yang huffed out an irritable breath, her eyes screwed shut. "It's complicated," she finished weakly.

Weiss sighed before carefully wiggling out of the embrace, sliding off of the bed without looking her way. She slipped her nightgown over her head and stepped over to the oaken door, pausing with her hand on the handle as the candlelight reflecting off of the tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Good night, Yang," she whispered over her shoulder before slipping out of the room and closing the door softly behind her.

Yang let out a groan as her head slammed back onto the bed, limbs splayed out akimbo.

"I am such an ass," she muttered. _But if she finds out the truth, she'll hate me for sure. I'm just putting it off now, the day where I will lose her for certain._

The blonde threw an arm over her eyes, not bothering to blow out the candle flickering on the dresser. "No, not just an ass. A coward."

The silence of the room and coolness of the sheets next to her provided little consolation.

* * *

Yang and Weiss shared a rather uncomfortable silence at breakfast the next morning. There was a small dining area set aside in the suite of rooms for humanoid guests. Arslan had stopped by with a large platter bearing fruits and meats as she had every morning since they had arrived, choosing to partake her meal with them.

"Did you all sleep well?" the elder Silver inquired courteously before taking a bite of melon.

"I did, thank you," Weiss replied politely, though her voice was slightly strained. Blake merely nodded her head, engrossed in the seared tilapia on her plate, while Yang just gave a noncommittal grunt. She toyed with the sausage on her plate, taking an occasional bite.

Arslan sighed softly before patting at her mouth with a napkin. "I know waiting can be difficult sometimes," she stated. "But the longer this drags on, believe me, the better it is. The Matriarch has not outright rejected Ruby's request, and is giving it due consideration." The dark-skinned woman frowned briefly. "Speaking of whom…"

"I'm here," a light, weary voice spoke up. Ruby entered the room, her feet dragging behind her as much as her seemingly limp and lifeless cloak was.

Yang glanced at her sister in concern, noting the dark smudges under her eyes. "Did you get any sleep?"

The brunette yawned widely, blindly reaching out for a piece of crispy bacon. She smiled in gratitude when Blake steered her in the right direction, all the while not looking up from her plate.

"No, not for the last couple of nights, I had people to talk to and… Well, I've been working."

"Working on other Silvers who might have the Matriarch's ear?" Arslan inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah… I can't get another audience with the Matriarch herself, so I've, y'know…" Ruby just shrugged her shoulders tiredly. "I'm not used to talking so much, or with so many Dragons," she admitted quietly around a bite of her food. "I always thought Golds were the stubborn ones."

"Hey!" Yang interjected with a wan smile. "I resemble that!"

Ruby smirked before her face fell once more. "Listen, I… Can I ask a favor of you guys, while we're all here together?"

The raven-haired Faunus at her side set her fork down, giving the Silver her full attention. "Of course, Ruby, what is it?"

The brunette cleared her throat, shooting an anxious glance towards Yang. "There's been… something I've been putting off doing…" She stared down at her hands now folded in front of her. "I don't want to do it alone," she finished, her quiet voice sounding a bit lost.

"Yeah," Yang nodded in understanding. "I need to as well. I'll come with you, sis."

"You only need to ask," Blake added softly. "I'll follow wherever you need me to."

Ruby looked up, giving the Faunus woman a wan smile before she glanced inquisitively towards the silent Elven Mage.

"I suppose we don't get to know where beforehand," the platinum-haired woman huffed, though without any real heat. "Of course I shall accompany you, Ruby. You are my friend."

"And my bestest friend at that, right?" Ruby added, a hint of her usual mischievousness poking through.

"Certainly not," Weiss declared loftily, spearing a bite of peeled oranges with her fork. "Close, yes, that I will agree with."

"Yep, you're my bestest bud," the Silver giggled, grabbing a handful of grapes and stuffing them in her mouth.

Weiss sighed, though the corners of her mouth were quirked slightly. "You are such a dolt," she muttered affectionately.

"So I've been told," Ruby smirked tiredly.

"Would you take offense to my accompanying you as well?" Arslan asked deferentially.

"No… No, that'd be fine," the brunette assured the other Silver with a smile. "Thanks."

After they'd finished their breakfast and freshened up, the group of five made their way deeper into the warren of tunnels that made up the Hold. Many of them were carved out for Dragons in their native form to walk side-by-side, but quite a few were Humanoid-sized. They passed a number of other great, shining, and sleek Silver Dragons who nodded their heads regally in greeting, as well as a few in their alternate guises. Yang was always slightly bemused as to the wide variety of shapes and sizes that a Dragon's soul-form might take, though they all possessed an underlying energy and presence that was undeniably different from Weiss or Blake.

The Gold walked next to her girlfriend, hands flexing nervously at her side. She didn't want to make the first move, knowing how upset Weiss was with her at the moment, but she desperately wanted to hold her hand, especially considering where they were headed. Evidently, the platinum-haired Elf picked up on the blonde's anxiety, and with a roll of her eyes snatched her hand up, giving it a light squeeze with her cool fingers.

Yang grinned widely and suddenly didn't care overmuch who saw them together. _I'm done being so hesitant while here. What comes will come, and to the Abyss with everything else._

She darted her head in, giving Weiss a quick kiss on her cheek before pulling her in closer. The Elven Mage let out a startled giggle before releasing Yang's hand and slipping an arm around her waist while they walked.

Before long the wide stone-hewn passage gave way to a looming circular chamber. It was shaped like a donut, stretching off in both directions and looping around. Along the sides were small niches and alcoves that were filled with marble statues of Dragons in various poses.

Ruby paused at the head of the group, hesitating before proceeding.

"Where are we?" Weiss asked quietly, picking up on the solemnity of the ambiance.

"It's the Hall of the Ancestors," Yang replied quietly. Ahead of them, Blake's ears twitched to indicate she was listening to the response as well. "We need to pay our respects."

The Elf released a soft sigh and tightened her hold around Yang's waist, nodding in understanding.

Finally, Ruby seemed to pull her shoulders back as she continued her walk, Arslan trailing respectfully behind them. The brunette's silver eyes roamed the chamber, her mouth moving inaudibly as she picked out the writing above each alcove in the Dragon script. She came to a stop outside a rather large one, lit with candles within. She turned back towards the other Silver as well as her sister with a slight grimace.

"Um, I didn't… I hadn't asked, but, is Tai…?"

"Your father's statue was erected next to your mother's," Arslan replied gently. "They were mates, after all."

"Oh. Wow." Ruby blinked her eyes, a slow smile crossing her features before leading the way inside.

"Is that a big deal?" Weiss whispered.

"Well, this is the alcove that belongs to the Matriarch's line," Yang explained just as quietly. "Even were he her mate, it'd take something special to have his statue placed right next to hers in here."

"Like giving his life fighting Ember," the Elf murmured in understanding.

"Exactly."

Ruby unerringly led them over towards a pair of regal-looking statues. Silvers were of a slightly different body shape from Golds, leaner and more lithe, but the most obvious differentiation between the two types of Dragons, aside from the color, was the size. Here, though, the statues of Summer and Tai were of a similar size, placed directly next to each other on low pedestals so that they only reached up slightly above their heads. The Silver was sitting on her haunches, but seemingly coiled as if prepared to strike at any moment, while the Gold stood on all fours, head inclined in noble greeting.

The brunette stepped forward and reached up to place her hand on the snout of the Silver's statue, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Hi, mom," she whispered brokenly. "I'm… I'm sorry it's taken me so long to visit."

Yang let go of Weiss to step up next to her sister, placing one reassuring hand on her shoulder while the other rested on the neck of the Gold's statue. "Hey there, dad," she murmured. "Found her, just like I promised."

The smaller girl sniffled as she leaned back against the blonde, her head resting on her shoulder. "Yeah, you did. And hi, dad. I really miss you guys, I''ve tried… I'm doing the best I can to finish what you started, okay?"

"And I'm with her every step of the way," the blonde added softly. "So don't either of you worry any."

Ruby pulled up the edge of her cloak to wipe at her face, laughing tearfully. "I found a lot of special people to help us as well, you were right, mom, you were always right… They're worth every moment I spend with them, these Humanoids…" She cleared her throat, leaning away from Yang to grasp the nearby Cat Faunus and pull her in with a quiet _yowl_. "This is Blake, and she's… Well, she's important to me. Been a huge help, and… Yeah."

"Um, hello," Blake stated weakly.

The blonde's hand shot out next to catch Weiss before she could dart out of range. "And this is Weiss," she stated with a smile.

"Er, yes… Greetings." The Elf gave an awkward wave at the pair of statues, sharing an uncomfortable look with Blake.

"Sorry, guys," Ruby laughed, her voice stronger now and more her usual self. "Didn't mean to drag you in like this, it's just…"

"No, it's fine, Ruby," her platinum-haired friend interjected. "We're here to support you in any way possible."

"Absolutely," Blake added firmly. She turned and wrapped the brunette up in a hug. "Thank you for bringing us here to… meet your parents."

Yang glanced over her shoulder to where Arslan was standing with her back to them. The Silver was guarding the entrance to the alcove, allowing them their privacy. "Also," she whispered once she faced the Gold's statue once again. "Um… So, I just gotta let you know this, dad, um… Well, the thing is…" She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly with the hand not currently ensconced within Weiss'. "So, Weiss here is… she's my girlfriend. Like, serious in a way I've never been with anyone before."

At her side, Weiss sucked in a startled breath, while both Ruby and Blake moved off to the side, murmuring quietly to each other. The brunette was sharing stories of her other relatives from what her mother had passed along to her.

"I know this is gonna cause… problems," Yang continued, still almost inaudibly but just loud enough for the Elf to pick up on. "But I don't care anymore. And I figured you'd understand, y'know, with you and Summer running off and everything. I just…" She sighed, yellow-maned head hanging low. "I wish I got to spend more time with you," she admitted softly. "I wish you were still here for me to ask you what to do. Uncle Qrow, he's been a big help, kinda filling that void when he's around, but he doesn't get me all the time, says I'm too much like my dad." She chuckled weakly. "Always took that as a compliment..."

She trailed off, unsure as to where she was going with this or what else there was to say. Weiss turned and wrapped her arms around her, burying her face in her shoulder.

"I wish I could have met him," the Elf whispered softly. "If he was anything like you, I bet he was amazing."

"Yeah," she chuckled in reply. "From what little I remember… Yeah, he was. I only met him once while I was a hatchling, he came by the Aerie to check up on me, which is a rarity for male Dragons, believe me." Her lilac eyes became distant with remembrance. "He stopped by with Qrow, called me his Sunflower…"

Just then, Arslan cleared her throat loudly. Weiss and Yang moved apart, but the blonde kept their hands firmly clasped, shooting her girlfriend a tight grin. Ruby stepped forward, the Cat Faunus standing just behind her supportively, as a newcomer entered the alcove.

"My sincere apologies for disturbing you and your companions, Ruthralynnaerias," the tanned man stated, eyes downcast. The close-cropped hair atop his head was a brilliant shade of pink. "My name is Nadiathleraemosky, and I have been asked to bring you before the Matriarch."

"It's not a problem, Nadiathleraemosky, we were finished paying our respects," the brunette nodded in reply. "And please, call me Ruby."

"Then it would please me greatly if you would call me Nadir," the Silver replied with another bow.

"Oh my gods, Nadir," Arslan chuckled. "Enough with the bowing, there's no need for all the ceremony."

"But she's the heir!" he hissed anxiously.

"No, really, I'm not all that, um…" Ruby tilted her head consideringly. "I'm not a fancy-dancy kinda girl. I'm just me, no need to stand on formality."

"Toldya," a light voice giggled from around the corner. A girl poked her head around, framed by a bright mane of green hair. "Heya, Ruby."

"Oh, hi there, Reese!" The brunette gave her a cheerful wave before turning to the others. "Reese was one of the ones I talked with last night, she's definitely on our side."

"I've always been up for a good adventure," the other girl agreed, sauntering around the corner. She wore an odd combination of a purple tunic, black boots, and abbreviated pants that left much of her legs bare. "Where do you stand, Arslan?"

"I did not realize we were taking sides," the silver-haired Dragon replied humorously.

"Well, not _sides_ per se," Ruby hastily interjected. "Just, seeking support in the intervention out in the world to oppose Ember's mate."

"Well, if it comes to that…" Arslan tilted her head briefly before a smile crossed her face. "Then yes, you have my support, young one."

"And you have mine as well if you so desire," Nadir put in.

"Absolutely," Ruby grinned. "Oh, here, lemme introduce my companions…"

After the salutations were passed around, the group headed out from the Hall of the Ancestors and towards the central audience chamber once more.

"Did she mention what this was about?" Ruby asked nervously from where she strode by Nadir's side.

"Not exactly," he responded with a slight shake of his head. The tan and grey robes he wore flapped about his legs as he walked. "But I anticipate that you might finally get an answer."

"Right." The brunette blew out a nervous breath. "I just hope Bolin hasn't gotten to her…"

"Bolin? Oh, don't worry about him," Arslan chuckled. "I already had a heart-to-heart with him, and he's dropped his opposition to you."

"He did?" Ruby squeaked incredulously, whirling around to face the smirking Silver. "How did you manage that, I thought he was, like, my biggest opposition?"

"Well…" Arslan's smirk widened. "I might've threatened to withhold sex."

Yang snorted out a laugh. "He's your mate?"

"He is," she stated somewhat smugly. "Usually we stay out of each other's wingspan when it comes to politics... "

"Thanks, Arslan," the brunette smiled widely before turning back and resuming their trek once more.

Both Reese and Nadir halted outside of the chamber, standing to one side. "Good luck, Ruby!" the green-haired Silver offered softly, earning a wink in response.

The scene was similar to the last time, with the Matriarch perched regally atop her stone pedestal and three Silvers on each side. Yang quickly picked out the one who'd caused problems the last time, but Bolin was pointedly not looking their way, feigning disinterest.

"Matriarch," the brunette greeted her grandmother, dropping into a low bow with the rest of the group.

"Good day to you... Ruby." The elder Silver inclined her head as they rose. "I have summoned you to receive my decision concerning your future at the Hold."

"Yes, Matriarch," the brunette replied softly, her hands nervously clasped at her waist.

The Dragon's stormy grey eyes regarded her granddaughter levelly for a few moments. "I am, for the time being, deferring the onset of your training as my heir," she rumbled. "I shall allow you to return out into the world of Remnant to complete your tasks concerning the Orb and to oppose the actions of Cindeshthyaleramathe, mate of Embalytherionyz. I have two conditions."

Yang glanced worriedly at her sister, who swallowed before answering. "Yes, Matriarch?"

"Firstly, I request that you hold off on your departure for one more day. I would speak with you privately before you leave."

"O- Of course, Matriarch," Ruby stammered, somewhat intimidated at the prospect of a private audience with the regal Dragon.

"And then, secondly…" The Silver let out a great gust of air as she sighed. "Once your… endeavors with the Humanoids are complete, I would request that you then return to resume your responsibilities. And furthermore, I would ask you to give me your word on this before I allow you to leave the Hold."

The brunette steeled herself and stepped forward, chin held high. Yang was momentarily taken aback, the fun-loving hatchling she'd come to know on this journey suddenly falling away to be replaced by a Silver with the blood of Matriarchs in her veins.

"I, Ruthralynnaerias, do solemnly pledge this to you, my Matriarch," the red-cloaked girl stated in a clear, ringing voice. "Once my duties to the Humanoids are complete, I shall return to assume my rightful position as your heir."

It took considerable effort for Yang to still her face. _Nice one, sis… kept it vague enough that the timeline can be fudged if needs be, but still counts as her oath to return… Now, will she go for it?_

Lilac eyes narrowed as the great Silver tilted her head consideringly. The Matriarch then swiveled her head to face either side of her in turn. "Are there any objections to the oath so proclaimed by Ruthralynnaerias?"

This time, Yang allowed the grin to slip by as everything became startlingly clear to her, and by the momentary sag of Ruby's shoulders in relief, she'd picked up on it as well.

_The Matriarch was on our side the whole time, she just needed to go through the motions to keep the Silver Dragon race in line, projecting her strength… Damn, that is one crafty Dragon…_

To the one side, Bolin stirred slightly, but resolutely stared out across the chamber without opening his maw to comment. As there were no other motions, the Matriarch nodded her head once. "Then it is settled. I shall see you upon the new day, Ruby."

"Thank you, Matriarch," the brunette grinned, bowing deeply once more before they group turned to leave.

"One moment, Yanzhiellewenayuros."

 _Ohhh, shitbiscuits._ Yang turned, giving the elder Silver a bow. "Martirach?"

The Dragon regarded her solemnly, perhaps even with a trace of sadness. "Need I remind you of the bargain? Your sister has been found and your quest completed."

Her fists clenched at her sides, and the blonde knew her eyes had involuntarily flashed to crimson. _No, not yet, please… Not yet._

"Do not direct your ire towards me," the Matriarch rumbled mildly. "It is your own Matriarch who holds the strings, not I."

"Yes, Matriarch…" Yang sighed, closing her eyes as she willingly released her anger. _Getting emotional will not help me here…_ "If I may, however, part of my quest involved protecting my sister once she was found. As she intends to go out once more into danger, should I not also accompany her?"

The Matriarch chuckled, the deep booming sound echoing off of the chamber's stone walls. "Bargaining once more?" she inquired with a raised silver eyebrow.

She shrugged and offered a cheeky grin. "Well, I figured it was worth a shot."

"So much like your father," she chuckled once more. "Very well, then. I shall relay the adjustment of the bargain. Until tomorrow."

On their way back to their chambers, Yang steadfastly refused to look any of her companions in the eye. She knew there would be questions, but she'd be damned if she'd be able to answer them anytime soon.

"Yang," the platinum-haired Elf by her side finally murmured. "What was the original bargain? What did you agree to in order to find Ruby?"

They'd reached their suite of rooms by that point, Arslan giving them a wordless nod as she left them to their own devices. Both Ruby and Blake, however, were standing by, waiting for Yang to give an answer.

Only she couldn't, not now, not when she'd just gotten another deferment of her fate. "I… I can't talk about it," she whispered with a shake of her head.

Her downcast eyes caught movement in her peripheral, small white boots as they moved away. She dimly registered the closing of the door to the room Weiss was staying in. Sighing, she headed into her own before the others might start in on their own questioning.

* * *

Ruby sat tiredly on the edge of her bed, staring down at her bare feet. She'd slipped a nightshirt over her head but couldn't summon the energy or willpower to lay down just yet.

It'd been a long day after she'd returned to the suite of rooms with the others. The brunette had only stayed for a few moments, quietly talking with Blake but pointedly not discussing Yang or Weiss' behavior, before she headed out once more. She met with Reese again who, along with Nadir, helped her speak with other Silver Dragons who might be of a like mind. It was slow, grueling work to convince a Dragon who had been perfectly happy remaining cloistered within the Hold for the last few hundreds of years that they should care about the world outside. She'd met up with Qrow a few times, who looked to be just as haggard as he tirelessly worked to turn more towards her favor.

Even though she had permission to depart once again, she knew with increasing dread that this was just the beginning, that by the time they reached Vale, Ruby would need all the help she could get.

The conversations she'd had were enough to push aside the worry that kept eating away at her, that Pyrrha, Jeanne, Ren, Nora, and Coco had been on their own for too long.

_I shouldn't have been so selfish as to bring the others with me, the mission would have had a far greater chance of success with their presence… Who knows what dangers the others have faced, even with a Bronze Dragon at their side. Coco would be hard-pressed against numerous foes if she were hindered by the presence of the Orb…_

Her musings were cut off by a soft knock at her door. Blake peeked inside, giving her a wan smile.

"You look worn out," the Cat Faunus stated softly as she padded over, barefoot and clad in a nightgown as well. She perched on the edge of the bed next to the brunette before reaching over with a hesitant hand to rest on Ruby's back.

The Silver could only nod wearily in reply. Her emotions were a jumble from the long days, the fears she'd worked so hard to suppress, the arguments and often futile attempts at persuasion…

"I'm scared," she finally whispered, staring down at her toes once more. "I'm just… I'm so scared, and tired, and… I'm afraid for the others, we've been away for so long, and even if we can find them again… Will it be too late? After everything we've been through already, I'm scared that the worst is yet to come, and that, in the end, we won't succeed…"

The bed shifted as Blake scooted over, wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning her head against the crown of her head. "Have faith in your friends," the Faunus woman finally murmured. "We're all with you, you don't have to face anything alone."

Sniffing, Ruby nodded before reaching over to clasp the hand that Blake had in her lap.

"Stay with me tonight, Blakey?" the brunette pleaded softly. "Just… Can you just hold me for this one last night here, please?"

"Of course," Blake murmured in reply. She gently lifted her up and into the bed, the raven-haired woman pausing to blow out the candles before sliding in next to her. Pulling the sheets over them both, Blake snuggled in behind the brunette with her soft arm around her waist.

"Rest now," the Faunus woman breathed against the back of her neck. "I've got you."

It didn't take long at all for Ruby to finally fall into a deep, peaceful slumber.

* * *

Yang sat atop her bed, her knees pulled up against her chest. She'd blown her candles out some time ago, but couldn't seem to fall asleep.

She rubbed her cheeks against the hem of her nightshirt to wipe away the wetness there, but she couldn't seem to stop crying softly.

_She's not coming, and I can't blame her, not after… after I can't even tell her…_

Sniffling, the blonde eased herself under the covers, lying back to stare blankly at the ceiling.

_This sucks._

Of course, she had nobody to blame but herself, really. She'd been the one to make the bargain in the first place, more concerned with finding her sister than anything. And, Oum, she could never resent Ruby for anything about this. No, the entire situation was squarely on her own shoulders, from the bargain she made to her naive assumption that she could flit into a dalliance with the captivating Elf and right back out again as she always did, not anticipating how deeply she'd be drawn in.

And then her current dilemma, how and when to tell the woman she loved what their future truly held.

Her musings were cut short when the door to her room quickly yet quietly opened and closed again. Her head whipped around, blonde tresses flying about until she could behold the slim ethereal figure of her lover.

"Weiss?" she whispered incredulously. "I… I didn't think you'd come…"

The platinum-haired Elf sighed as she slowly approached the bed. "I can't seem to stay away from you," she admitted. "But… I refuse to leave you tonight. There's nobody but Arslan who would see in any case, and-"

"Yes," Yang broke in hurriedly. " _Gods_ , yes, please stay, gorgeous…"

As the slender woman slipped under the covers and into her embrace, she once again mentally berated herself for being so weak, so cowardly, that she couldn't bring herself to let go. To tell the Elven Mage the truth.

 _I can't take the heartache now,_ she moaned to herself disconsolately. _What will it be like when I'm left with no choice but to tell her?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a little change of pace from last chapter as we catch up with RWBY. Cuddly Ladybug is the best. And Yang, c'mon girl, just spill it already…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	25. The Bigger They Are

**Volume 3**

**Western Reaches of Vale**

"So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings."  
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

"C'mon, Jeannie, make your choice," Nora stated eagerly.

The blonde armored woman sighed in resignation. "Why is it I have to play this game again?"

"Because we all are, silly! Now come _on_!"

"Oh, very well… I choose… Dare."

Ren sighed and shook his head in amusement. _Poor girl, she will learn soon enough, you do not_ _ **ever**_ _make such a choice with Nora._

Indeed, the manic cackling coming from the orange-haired warrior was enough to make even the normally stoic Coco to lean back away from her. They were all assembled around the campfire for the evening, deciding to risk one since they were well-ensconced within a shrouded grove. The flames would not be visible unless the observer was almost upon the campsite itself.

"Oh, Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie..." the pinkette giggled, rifling around in her knapsack.

"Oum, I think I've made a terrible mistake," Jeanne moaned, her eyes wide with apprehension.

Pyrrha patted her reassuringly on the shoulder. "I am sure it will not be all that bad…"

With a triumphant shout, Nora withdrew her hand, a small metallic flash gripped firmly. "I dare you to drink this!" she chortled.

The redhead sighed. "I withdraw my earlier statement."

"What… is it, exactly?" Jeanne asked, eyeing the flask warily as Nora waved it about her face.

"Nuh-uh, sorry, you gotta drink before I tell ya," the orange-haired woman snickered.

The blonde Knight-in-training sighed but straightened her shoulders resolutely. With, to her credit, only slightly trembling hands, she accepted the flask, unstoppered it, and took a healthy swig.

She immediately turned red from coughing and wheezing, pounding on her chestplate as she doubled over in apparent agony.

"Er, Ren?" Pyrrha asked as she leaned over her squire in concern. "Should you help out here?"

"There is no helping Jeanne at this point," he declared solemnly. The redhead regarded him with growing horror until he completed his statement. "What she just drank was Dwarven ale."

"Oh, well, that doesn't sound so…"

"And not the kind that folk brew up here and slap a silly label on," Nora added gleefully as she took a dainty sip of the recovered flask. "This is the good stuff, made in the depths of Mount Uldaman by actual Dwarven brewmasters." She took another swig, coughing lightly. "Puts hair on your chest," she choked out.

"I…" Jeanne wheezed in between her own coughing fits, "...have… regrets…"

"Story of my life, Jeannie," Nora giggled merrily.

"Speaking… of which…" the blonde managed to squeak out. Her face was less flushed now as her breathing returned to normal, though her voice sounded as if it came from rusty pipes. "My turn."

"Take your time, Jeanne," her redheaded Knight advised gently. The blonde just nodded, taking a long drink from her water bag before continuing.

"Okay," she sighed finally. "So, Ren."

"Yes," he replied calmly. "I shall choose Truth."

"Wise man," Coco snickered.

"I have been accused of such in the past, true," he replied with only a hint of snark, head inclined.

"Right, then." Jeanne eyed the raven-haired Cleric thoughtfully. "I've known a few Clerics, of Oum and Torm and a few others. None of them were as… Well, _worldly_ as you, and certainly none had lovers that I could tell. How are you able to, y'know… _be_ a Cleric of Oum as you are?"

"Wow," Nora murmured. "That was kind of a deep question."

"Well, yes," Jeanne blushed. "I do think of these things at times… Um, though, if it offends you, please don't feel the need to answer…"

"I do not mind," Ren smiled softly. "Were it part of the game or no, I can certainly shed some light on my own situation."

He stared into the fire, gathering his thoughts before beginning. "There have been some within the clergy who have frowned upon my relationship with Nora. They claim it is a detriment to my duty to Oum, a distraction."

Ren leaned against the log behind him, smiling as his lover cuddled up against his side. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in closer. "What they fail to see is that my love for Nora is the very basis of my religion. By… devoting myself to her, by _worshipping_ her in the way I do, I, in turn, worship the love and blessings bestowed upon me by Oum Himself. Oum is the light-bringer, the life-giver. He is love personified, and I cannot bring myself to believe that my love, our love, would be frowned upon by Him."

"They're just a buncha jealous old men," Nora snickered softly, rubbing the side of her cheek against his shoulder. "Got nobody to comfort 'em at night but their own hands."

"Nora!"

The pinkette in question would have fallen over in laughter at the simultaneous denouncements from Jeanne and Pyrrha were she not safely held up by Ren's arm. The brunette on the other side of the fire, though, had no such qualms, and rolled over on the ground, laughing heartedly and wiping at her eyes as she tried to sit back up again.

"Although," Nora continued thoughtfully once her merriment had subsided. "There was that one female Cleric, what was her name…"

"Faye?"

"Yep, that's the one, thanks, Renny. Anyways, she wasn't all that opposed to us, but I think that's 'cause she had a crush on you anyway."

"She… Wait, what?" Ren blinked his eyes in confusion. "She did not."

"Yup, she did, saw it every time she looked at ya."

"Such a charmer, there, Ren," Coco laughed lightly.

"I do not…" Ren rubbed his forehead with his free hand in consternation. "She has been a good friend for some time, and helped me transition from the Order to become a Cleric of Oum…"

"Yep," Nora giggled. "And totally had the hots for you."

"Yes, Nora," Ren sighed affectionately, willing, as usual, to let her have the last word on the matter.

"Alright," Pyrrha stated, her own emerald eyes twinkling with humor. "We should likely turn in soon. I believe it is my turn to take the first watch, yes?"

"Before we do," Coco stated abruptly, "I need to talk about something."

The redheaded Knight had begun to rise but settled back down and gave the brunette an accepting nod. The others turned as well to listen to what the now-solemn Bronze had to say.

"I've been thinking about our opposition," Coco began softly, the firelight reflecting off of the oddly darkened glasses she habitually wore, day or night. "We know there's at least one Orc warband on our heels, though they're moving too slow to really catch us unless we stop for more than a day. But there are other groups moving around us, and I'm worried that they are all actually trying to pin us down."

"It is certainly far busier in this wilderness that I would find normal," Pyrrha agreed. "What do you suggest we do?"

Ren eyed their companion in concern. The Bronze still had not fully recovered from her earlier ordeals, and the Cleric could pick up on her weakened state merely by observation. He was sure the others could tell as well, though it was not remarked upon.

Coco dug a glowing ember out of the fire, ignoring the searing heat as she began to sketch out a rough map in the dirt before her. Black marks outlined the forest they were passing through and the mountain range they were skirting to reach Vale.

"There's a pair of mountains, here," she stated softly, marking the spot. "The both of them have the tops sheared off. Once upon a time there were stone watchtowers atop them, beacons burning brightly to light the way."

"Is it a pass through the mountains?" Ren asked curiously. "I do not ever recall hearing of such."

"Not… exactly." Coco dropped the cooling ember back into the fire and blew out a huff of air. "There's an ancient network of caverns and tunnels there, would take us straight through the mountains and to the other side and bypass what I fear to be a waiting ambush at Khaz Modan."

Ren nodded slowly. The small Dwarven stronghold was the main pass through the mountain range, connecting the overland route between the kingdoms of temperate Vale and arid Vacuo. They had gone through it on their way towards Mountain Glen, where they had retrieved the Orb, and would certainly need to cross there once more on the return trip.

"You sound rather uncertain," Pyrrha interjected hesitantly. "I am sure it is not as simple as all that."

"No, no it's not," Coco laughed wryly. "This is the site of the ancient Dwarven kingdom of Rockhome."

Ren sat up straighter at that. Old legends told of one of the many subterranean homes of the rock-delving race, once thriving and rich but quickly reduced to ruins at some unnatural calamity. Some of the legends spoke of an even older horror that rose from the depths, some of more mundane conquest by other underground races such as the Dark Elves or Duergar.

The Bronze sighed as she dusted her hands off. "The gates could be breached, but what lies within… Well. There's a reason nobody uses it anymore. But, it's likely safer than what we _know_ is waiting for us."

"Is it a shortcut?" Jeanne asked, her sapphire eyes shining.

"No, actually, it would add maybe another day or so to the journey." Coco shook her head. "It's a risk, I realize, as I don't know exactly _what_ will be waiting for us down there. But I _do_ know Dwarven construction, and even thousands of years old, these tunnels will be intact."

The group sat in silence for a time, Ren pondering upon their options and offering a small prayer to Oum for guidance. His answer came from an unexpected source.

"You know," Nora mused. "Seems to me, out in the open like we keep getting, it's in their favor. I mean, there's only five of us, easy to get surrounded and cut off, right?"

"Right you are, Nora," the redheaded Mistrallian Knight replied warmly. "A small group such as ours would have a greater advantage in a more enclosed space."

"Like the tunnels," Jeanne murmured. "We've already shown we can take just about anything thrown at us… it's just the numbers that wear us down…"

"And it would certainly be unexpected," Ren added. "Our pursuers would be thrown off and wander on this side of the mountain range looking for us, while we slip past. In addition, we might have a better chance of meeting up with the Valesian Knights of Artemis on the other side where we parted ways."

"With the size of this operation so far," Coco warned, "I'm sure we'll still have opposition once we get closer to Vale. But this would leave most of it behind."

"Right." Pyrrha looked around at the group earnestly. "All in favor of passing through the gates of Rockhome?"

Five hands were raised unhesitatingly into the air.

"Then it's settled," the Bronze nodded. "I'll get us pointed in the right direction, it'll be easy enough to spot once we draw closer.

* * *

They set out once more as dawn broke through the tops of the trees. The group had been moving steadily enough for the past few hours, quiet save for a few murmured conversations. Their mood was somewhat sobered by their purpose, the weight of what they were doing becoming evident to all. Nora was uncharacteristically reserved as she trailed behind, having relieved Jeanne of the rear guard duty. Her hammer was slung over her shoulder as always, a constant companion and balm to her oftentimes manic thoughts.

The warrior's turquoise eyes drifted about, between the dense forest looming on either side of them and across her companions. She was feeling a bit worried about their future, which in and of itself was a perplexing feeling. The orange-haired woman was nothing if not confident, fearless in battle and admittedly brash and sometimes overbearing with her friends. And such introspection was unusual to her as well.

She had her Ren, following him out of love and devotion. She'd never, ever leave his side, protecting him until the light faded from her eyes.

But this quest she was involved in now, for the first time in her life it was bigger than her, bigger than just the two of them. Ruby was depending on them to get the Orb back to Vale, and the fragment of their fellowship that she now trailed behind depended on her to help.

Not just Ren, but Pyrrha and Jeanne. And even Coco, her newfound kin who had suddenly become the most awesome best friend that she never knew she might have outside of her lover.

Nora wasn't used to that sort of responsibility. But she was damned if she'd fail in her task. The pink-armored warrior would help her companions get that Orb to Vale, or she'd die trying.

Resolutely, Nora tightened her grip on _Magnhild_. "Listen to me, gettin' all serious," she laughed quietly to herself. "This is the greatest adventure of my life, and I'm bein' a downer about it."

The lanky half-Elf in front of her turned slightly to regard his girlfriend quizzically. "Did you say something, Nora?" he asked gently.

She offered him a brilliant smile. "Nope, just admiring that cute butt of yours, Renny," she snickered.

He sighed and shook his head affectionately, while Jeanne on the right flank let out a soft groan. "Really, Nora?"

"I can admire his cute butt if I want to," she replied loftily. "If you didn't want me to, shouldn't've put me on rear guard!"

"I do believe you volunteered for that position when last we switched," Pyrrha interjected from the opposite side with a wry grin.

"Details, details," Nora stated, waving her free hand airily. "Doesn't detract from the fact that my boyfriend has a cute butt."

"Nobody's denying that, imp," Coco laughed from the head of the group.

"I might," Jeanne grumbled.

"Well, we all know whose butt _you_ think is cute," the orange-haired woman giggled.

Her armored friend blushed brightly and turned her face away, refusing to dignify that with an answer.

Pyrrha opened her mouth to likely offer her gentle admonition but snapped it shut when Coco held up a hand. The five of them pulled to a halt, weapons out and at the ready.

"What is it?" the redheaded Knight finally whispered.

Coco shook her head slowly. She turned towards them, pulling her darkly tinted glasses off of her face. The brunette's normal brown eyes were a molten gold, swirling with caged energy. "Trouble," she stated softly.

"Trouble… of the Dragon kind?" Jeanne squeaked.

"Yes," the Bronze replied, her voice eerily calm. "I need you all to get ready to run. Keep heading due east from here, alright?"

"What?" Nora barked, outraged at the very idea. "No way! We're not-"

"Nora." The brunette turned and regarded her, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "This isn't a fight you can win."

"Then it isn't one you can, either," Ren argued mildly. "Allow us to help."

"You can't…" Coco trailed off at a movement just past the next bend in the trail. "Ahhh, Orc-shit. Here we go."

Nora planted her feet and hefted her hammer in both hands after giving the Bronze Dragon a worried glance. She knew, as much as Coco tried to deny it, that the brunette wasn't back to full health yet. It'd been only two days since their encounter with the Dracolich and the other necrotic undead. Her friend was _not_ going to face whoever was up ahead by herself.

And then a pair of rather unassuming girls strolled around the bend of the trail, looking as if they were just out for a stroll on the town. They wore matching gowns of elegant design, falling to the knee and pinned at the shoulders. The one on the left with longer raven hair wore a white version of the dress, while the other, brushing shorter locks of black hair over her shoulder as they came to a halt, wore red.

"Are those... Dragons?" Jeanne murmured apprehensively.

"Yes, yes they are," Coco murmured in return.

The one in red spoke up first. "Well, well, who do we have here, Melannourouressa?"

"I think, Miltiannourouressa, that we found our quarry," the one in white replied with a smirk. "So what will it be, hotheaded Bronze? Do we do this the easy way or the hard way?"

With a sigh, Coco turned towards the others, a regretful look on her face.

"My name," she stated softly, "is Cocoazhythansyllia. Bear witness and remember me."

With that, the brunette exploded into action.

She shot forward, her form shimmering mid-step into that of a Dragon the size of a manor, bronze scales shining in the dim light. Trees crashed to the side as she bellowed out her challenge and charged forward, wings lending speed to her dash.

Her opponents were caught off-guard, the one in white taking a few cautious steps back before changing while the other darted to the side. Both of their forms morphed into Dragons with scales as black as the night, growling out in their own guttural language.

Coco body-slammed into the first Onyx Dragon on the right, sending her tumbling backwards, but she didn't stop to follow-up on her attack. Instead, she surged forward, slamming into the slightly-smaller Onyx in the rear just as she had finished transforming.

The other Dragon let out a thunderous shriek of pain as Coco latched onto her with deadly talons, but it cut off once her massive maw clamped around the Onyx's throat. With a vicious turn of her entire body, Coco broke the neck of her opponent, leaving the corpse behind as she turned with surprising agility for such a large creature.

She didn't manage to get around in time, however, as the second Onyx latched onto her back with a frenzied scream. Coco let out a bellow of agony, both of her wings cruelly shredded by the sharp talons of her opponent, but she managed to get her rear legs under her to push off, twisting around to reach the Dragon attacking her. Unfortunately, her previously-injured left forearm couldn't summon up the strength to grasp at the Onyx, and she was instead hurled back to the ground, the other Dragon pressing her into the earth as the inky-black head shot forward.

Jaws clamped around the Bronze's neck and twisted. A sharp _crack_ resounded throughout the forest, the sound like a massive tree snapping in half.

The molten gold eyes of the Bronze dulled and faded, her enormous body stilling as her last breath left her with an almost mournful sigh.

Only the span of a handful of seconds, at best, had passed.

Miltiannourouressa took a minuscule moment to savor her victory before the pain of losing her clutchmate hit her, making her growl in anger. Orders be damned, she was going to fry every last one of those puny little humanoids.

The Onyx turned, neck still low to the ground, before she froze as she beheld a most shocking sight.

A small, pink-armored humanoid was in the process of sailing through the air at the Onyx, a massive warhammer held aloft over her orange hair. Tears streamed from turquoise eyes and her face was screwed up into a furious scowl as she fell, too fast for the Dragon to even react.

And then the hammer descended to explosively land atop the crown on the Onyx, right between the eye sockets. The Dragon's skull cracked as her chin was buried into the ground, and the rest of the body flopped inelegantly in death.

Nora leapt off of the dead Dragon, breathing heavily from her sprint and leap. She flung her hammer out to the side to remove the blood and gore of her successful attack before she dropped it at her side, walking forward on numb legs. The huge Bronze-scaled head before her looked almost peaceful, eyes now closed as if the noble creature were only sleeping.

She dropped to her knees by her friend's maw, one hand extended to rest on a warm, scaly cheek.

"It's not fair," she whispered, choking back a sob.

"No, it's not," a gentle voice came from behind her. Warm arms encircled her from behind as Ren dropped to his knees as well. "She died well, though."

"But… But I was j- just…" Nora closed her eyes, allowing the tears to stream down her cheeks. "I just got to m- meet her, and… And it felt like I had always known her… But I didn't have enough t- time..."

"You were kin," Ren agreed. "And more. I know, love, I know."

Sobbing inconsolably, Nora turned slightly and buried her head in Ren's shoulder. She hadn't cried like this since the last time she'd visited their village.

Dimly she felt another pair of hands upon her shoulders and looked up with a watery smile at both Pyrrha and Jeanne. The armored women regarded her sadly yet reassuringly, their own mournful tears joining her own.

"Nora," the half-Elven Cleric murmured. "Would you like to say the prayer with me? Her soul may not be destined to rest at Oum's side, but I'm sure He would help her journey, wherever it may lie."

"Yeah, thanks, Renny," she sniffled. The prayer was familiar enough to her as they recited it together every year on the anniversary of the tragedy at their village.

The pair shuffled around until they faced the fallen Dragon, their friend and companion, side-by-side. Pyrrha and Jeanne dropped to their knees as well in respect as the Cleric began. Nora spoke the words alongside her lover, muted and wavering.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder, convey thee into the hands of Oum."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo that was a thing. Been building up for awhile now, poor Coco just couldn't take much more abuse. Is this the only death I have planned? No, sorry, things will get much darker before the light can be seen...


	26. Things in the Past

**Volume 3**

**Silver Dragon Hold**

"Dragons have been known to have staring contests with mountains. They usually win."  
~ Ursula Vernon, Castle Hangnail

Weiss meandered down the passageways of the Hold, her arms wrapped around her trim waist. The Elf was somewhat lost in thought but still kept her eyes open for her companions. Or anyone she knew, really.

She woke up in Yang's chamber but missing a certain blonde. Breakfast was eaten with only Arslan for company, who relayed that everyone else was off trying to drum up some last-minute support before Ruby was to meet privately with the Matriarch after lunchtime. Once that happened, they would be on their way finally.

But for now, as Arslan had other duties to attend to, she was on her own.

And just about bored out of her skull.

She'd taken some more time to read her new spellbook that she'd obtained from the lair of the Red Dragon, but most of it was far beyond her current skill level. There was a particularly nice offensive one, a flaming spear projectile that was a useful counterpart to her usual ice-powered ranged attack, but once she'd memorized that there was little else to occupy her considerable intellect.

And as a bored Mage was almost certainly a dangerous Mage, she decided to at least track down her Faunus Rogue friend, as she shouldn't be occupied with the courting of Draconic favors.

Her wanderings had taken her towards the main entryway, and she glanced idly across the area only to pull to a halt. Right there, all the way at the edge and huddled into a small dark bundle, was a very familiar figure with a pair of furry ears atop her head.

Sighing, Weiss turned and made her way across the vast entrance to the Hold. _I wonder if she's upset? I thought things were going better, if slowly still…_

She cleared her throat gently as she approached, but received no response. Sighing, the platinum-haired Elf sat herself down next to her friend, glancing aside at her curiously. Blake wore her usual outfit of black leather tights and a purple blouse but had a black cloak wrapped around her shoulders to ward off the chill from the high elevation.

And then she noted the look of awe on her friend's face as she stared up into the sky.

Turning, Weiss looked in the same direction and was immediately taken with the same sense of wonderment.

Perhaps a half dozen Silver Dragons were wheeling and diving amongst the clouds in some aerial form of tag. Though they were too far away to really hear anything, she could imagine the peals of laughter that must accompany such an activity.

_So this is how Dragons play._

"Is…" Weiss cleared her throat and tried again as her voice annoyingly cracked. "Is Ruby up there?"

Blake nodded slowly, not tearing her eyes away from the scene. "Yes, along with Reese and Nadir. A few others, hatchlings still but older than Ruby." The Faunus smiled softly. "All this that she's accomplishing, the support she's managing to accumulate, and she's still one of the younger Dragons here in the Hold."

"I noticed that from the start," Weiss agreed. "Her wisdom pokes through the childlike enthusiasm every so often, as when she gave the Matriarch her pledge."

"Yes," Blake whispered once more. She was silent for a moment before speaking again, her lips barely moving. "I am so in love with her, Weiss, I just… I don't know what to do."

The Elf sighed lightly and rested her head against her friend's shoulder. "I think all you can do is what you're doing. Be there for her as she needs you… And I do believe she needs you as well and returns your love. But, circumstances being what they are…"

"The timing sucks," Blake finished wryly.

"Indeed."

"And how about you?" Blake finally looked away from the spectacle far overhead to peer down at the Elf. "How are you doing?"

"I…" Weiss sighed, this time a bit despondently. "I don't know. I don't know what this bargain was, nor do I know what it has to do with the two of us… but it's driving a wedge between us. And I don't know what to do about it."

"Never thought I'd see the day Yang became closed-mouth about something," Blake murmured. "Granted, she was secretive as anything about her origins and the like beforehand… I suppose this falls under that category as well."

"So it would seem."

"Would you like me to smack her around for you?" the Rogue asked, her amber eyes twinkling merrily.

"No, thank you, though," Weiss laughed as she sat back up.

Blake's tail brushed lightly along her arm. "Anytime, Weiss. Oh, look, I think they're coming in."

Sure enough, the silvery forms were growing larger. Quite a bit larger, and certainly coming in faster than Weiss would have deemed safe.

"Er… should we move into one of the passageways?"

"Too late for that," Blake chuckled, getting to her feet. She offered a hand to the Elf, pulling her upright as well before she moved them away from the edge and further inside against the wall. "Just… brace yourself."

Suddenly, the winds whipped her platinum hair around her face and obstructing her sight. She valiantly fought to pull the strands away and managed to get a glimpse of several large forms as they hurtled inside, some of them skidding to a quick stop and others sliding towards the rear wall.

One of them immediately shimmered and changed form into a familiar red-cloaked brunette. "Blakey! Weiss! Didja see us up there?"

"Yes, we did," Blake laughed warmly as Ruby hurled herself towards the duo. Weiss squawked as she was wrapped up in a hug by the enthusiastic Silver along with the raven-haired Cat Faunus.

Ruby let the two of them go, allowing Weiss to once again breathe, and turned to wave cheerful goodbyes to the other Dragons. Reese approached them, along with Nadir, the both of them in their humanoid forms and smiling widely.

"Ruby's become a favorite of the younger generation of Silvers," the green-haired girl stated humorously. "She's now something of a celebrity."

"Ugh," the brunette groaned, rolling her eyes. " _Not_ what I was going for here!"

"Well, like it or not, you have a following, and that's what is important."

"Yeah, but…" Ruby looked down at the floor and chewed on her bottom lip worriedly. "If… If it comes down to fighting, I don't wanna be responsible for all these hatchlings getting hurt."

"But aren't you a hatchling as well, Ruby?" the platinum-haired Elf interjected. "You seem quite skilled and can handle yourself without a problem."

"She's special," Nadir broke in. "Being of the bloodline of the Matriarchs gives her powers beyond what's normal for a hatchling her age."

The brunette nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it's true, though I didn't know about it until just yesterday. I mean, I was running circles around everyone out there…"

"Certainly faster than me," Reese chuckled. "And I passed my century mark two years ago."

"Funny, you don't look a day over fifty," Nadir grinned.

"Ohhh, very smooth," Ruby laughed. She turned towards her companions eagerly. "So, Reese invited us along to her place for lunch, you guys okay with that?"

"Certainly," Weiss smiled, giving the green-haired Silver a grateful nod. "Thank you for the invitation."

"Not a problem," Reese replied airily, waving them along as she headed towards a side tunnel. "C'mon, I had some of the fresh catch brought to my place, should be salmon today."

"Did you say… salmon?" Blake inquired eagerly, her tail swishing behind her.

Ruby chuckled and wrapped her arm around the Cat Faunus' waist. "Reese, I think you just made a lifelong friend."

"I'm fairly easy to bribe," the Rogue agreed easily. "Shiny baubles and salmon. Tuna is nice, too. Oh, I had this seared tilapia once that was divine…"

Nadir barked out a laugh at their side. "So, not so much the baubles as the fish."

"Well…" Blake grinned ruefully. "Everyone has their weaknesses."

Weiss smiled somewhat wistfully as she walked behind Ruby and Blake, so easy with their arms around each other while it was just the five of them walking together, though they would slip apart when an unfamiliar Silver would pass them. Every time she took hold of Yang's hand lately, or hugged her, or kissed her, or anything more intimate than that… It was all done with an air of desperation. As if the both of them wondered if that might be the last time they did such an activity.

It was starting to grate on her nerves, but she was an Elf. She could take the long view on things, granted, not as long as a Dragon, but she could be patient.

Well, more or less.

Soon enough they entered the residential wings of the Hold, an area Weiss had not had much chance to explore. Several doors down, Reese gestured them into her apartment.

Weiss had to pull herself to an astounded stop alongside an equally flummoxed Faunus.

The sheer opulence of the room was staggering. Rich tapestries and gilded tables, actual mirrors and deeply piled plush carpets. Trinkets littered most surfaces and glass jars filled with what appeared to be gems were on display in a niche shelf carved into the wall alongside richly-bound tomes of incalculable worth.

"Weiss? Blake?" The brunette's silver eyes poked into her view, brow creased with worry. "Um, you guys okay?"

"This…" Weiss shook her head wryly. "This was a little bit unexpected. It's quite… luxurious."

Blake could only let out a little _mewl_ of longing. If the Elf didn't know better she could have sworn she saw the Rogue begin to drool slightly.

"Oh, well, yeah," Ruby chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I mean, y'know… we're _Dragons_."

"Right, right…" The Elven Mage laughed as she regained her senses. Blake, though, looked to be a lost cause. "Again, I merely didn't expect it, considering the rather rudimentary conditions of our quarters."

"Yeah, they're pretty bad," Reese called out from another part of her place, evidently getting lunch ready. "We really should do something about that, even if they're rarely used, y'know?"

"You're absolutely right," Nadir replied with a teasing lilt to his voice. "So what are you willing to part with to decorate those rooms?"

"What?" Reese squawked. She suddenly appeared, arms spread wide as if she could protect all of her treasures. "Not _my_ hoard!"

Ruby laughed along with Weiss at the consternation displayed on the green-haired Silver Dragon's face. The Elf leaned over towards the brunette as both Nadir and Reese retreated, bantering back and forth. "You should keep an eye on Blake, make sure nothing goes, er… _missing_."

"Hmm, good point," Ruby mused. "Sometimes she just can't help herself, can she?"

Once they were called over towards the dining area, Weiss and Ruby each took an arm and steered the nearly-comatose Faunus over. She woke up readily enough once confronted with steaming plates of succulent salmon, already skinned and seasoned, along with several piles of delicious-looking vegetables.

She attempted to conceal the grin on her face from listening to Blake's rather indecorous sounds as the Cat Faunus dug into her meal. Instead, she was intently following the conversation being held by the three Silver Dragons.

"We've gotten complacent," Reese maintained, waving around her fork that had a piece of fish speared on the end. "There's a distinct chasm between those who steadfastly remain in their _natural_ forms and those who enjoy taking _this_ form. It's almost come to the point of a theological debate."

"There are still some in the middle," Nadir sighed in agreement. "But over the past few decades, there's been a definite shift in perspectives. It's what we get for being so insular."

Ruby shook her head, red-tipped bangs swinging gently. "It's more than the forms, though. I've come across it so many times over the past few days, those who feel that Dragons should stick to Dragon business are those most likely to remain in their Draconic form."

"Conservative."

The three of them paused and looked expectantly at the platinum-haired Elf at her utterance. Even Blake paused in her ravaging of her prey, er, meal.

"It's a division between those of a conservative bent and those more liberally-inclined," Weiss expounded. "I grew up around such a stagnant atmosphere, where the elders believed the way things had always been done were the best way to do them, and that the only direction our race could safely tread was that of isolation and exclusion."

"That's it exactly," Reese interjected excitedly. "And it's mostly those older Dragons exhibiting this behavior."

The Elven Mage nodded. "As it was in Evereska. The Elders decreed that our race would remain pure and aloof, while the younger generations pushed for more independence and freedom." She blushed lightly as she dug into her plate. "I was admittedly in the latter group, hence my… escape from home."

Ruby chuckled as she stretched her arm over the back of Weiss' chair. "This amazing woman here actually ran away from home in the frozen north."

"Really?" Nadir asked, ignoring the brightening of Weiss' blush. "Wow, that took a lot of bravery to break with your Elders like that. And what a journey, especially on foot!"

"Er, yes," the platinum-haired woman smiled slightly, her face downcast. "It was… an adventure."

"And I'm glad you took it," Ruby murmured, tapping Weiss on the forehead until she looked up. Silver eyes gleamed at her happily. "There's no way we could have gotten this far without you, Weiss."

"Yes, well…" The Elf coughed lightly into her fist as she looked away again in embarrassment, unused to such praise. "The frequent bouts of near-death experiences have certainly been… bracing since I joined."

"But worth it," Blake interjected.

She glanced over at the warm amber eyes of her friend. "Yes," she whispered back. "Very much worth it."

_Even if I cannot figure out what is going on with Yang, I still have achieved friendships I never knew possible. Between these two girls, and then Pyrrha, Jeanne, Nora, and yes, even Ren, I consider myself truly blessed by both Tarsellis Meunniduin and Oum alike._

After they had bade their host goodbye, the three companions headed back to their suite of rooms. Yang and Qrow were both present, sharing a drink at the table.

"Hey, kiddo," Qrow called out cheerfully. "So, you guys ready to head out soon?"

"Yep, all packed up," Ruby replied cheerfully, plopping herself on a chair next to her uncle. "Did you decide if you're coming with us?"

"Not just yet," he replied in his usual raspy voice. "Got a couple more Silvers to talk to, and then I thought I'd swing by the lairs of a few Golds nearby. Got some friends amongst them, and some of them owe me debts I can call in."

The brunette grinned widely as she leaned over to give the raven-haired man a tight hug. "I really, really appreciate all you're doing for us," she murmured.

"Well, you and firecracker here are worth the trouble, I suppose," he smirked.

"Any idea on when we're gonna see the Matriarch?" Yang interjected. The blonde had offered Weiss a small smile but had otherwise not reacted to her appearance. Weiss just sighed and shook her head before taking a seat.

"Not a definite time, no," Ruby replied as she sat back up with a tiny frown. "I know we need to wait, but… Argh! I'm ready to get _going_ , y'know?"

"Gotta observe the properties and all that," Qrow reminded his niece. "And I know you're feeling the need to rush to your friends, but I think you also need to take a quick stop."

Yang nodded, turning back towards her sister again. "I was speaking with Qrow about this earlier, I really think we should swing by the Aerie, see if they've heard from Coco. Or even if not, see what help we can get, I know lots of 'em that would jump at the opportunity for adventure."

"Yeah…" Ruby nodded slowly, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She glanced over at Weiss inquisitively.

The platinum-haired woman gave a start, not expecting to be included in the conversation. "Er… well, it does make a certain amount of sense. Is it on the way?"

"More or less," Yang stated confidently. "Won't need to stay too long, and then we could swing around the mountains from that side of the coast once we make landfall again. Maybe half a day or so?"

Ruby looked wordlessly at Blake, who gave her a firm, reassuring nod. "I think it would be for the best," the Faunus Rogue commented.

"Alright, then, we'll stop and have a chat with the Bronze Dragons." Ruby sat back, blowing out a huff of air. "So now we just need to wait for a summons."

"Or perhaps not," a melodic voice spoke up from the entrance to the suite.

The five of them glanced over to see a woman of medium height with long, flowing brown hair that hung down to her waist behind her. The tips of her hair gradually lightened until they ended with a silverish tinge. She wore a red dress that came down just past her knees, accented in black and adorned with several decorative buckles, with a silver cloak tied around her neck. Her silver eyes, pools of strength and wisdom, were the last clue needed as to the woman's identity.

"Matriarch!" Ruby squeaked, dropping inelegantly off of the chair and onto one knee with the rest of her party.

"None of that, now," the elder Silver replied with a laugh. "I'm here informally before you leave."

"Oh, but I thought… well, I thought you wanted to meet me in private?" Ruby asked hesitantly as she rose to her feet once more.

"For me? This _is_ private," the Matriarch chuckled. She sighed softly as she looked her granddaughter over. "You are so very like your mother… You do know how proud Summer would be of you were she not one with the Ancestors, do you not, child?"

"Yeah…" Ruby smiled softly. "I'd like to think so."

"Well, I can tell you for a fact that she would. Just as I am proud of you for what you have accomplished in your short time here."

"Oh, you, er… know about all of that, then?" the younger brunette chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.

Blake leaned over to where Weiss was standing against the wall. "They look like they could be sisters."

"I know!" she whispered back.

"So, then, allow me to relate to you the purpose of my visit." The elder brunette folded her hands in front of her, regarding Ruby solemnly. "I am as sympathetic to your views as I was with your mother, but my duties as Matriarch override my feelings as a grandmother, just as they did as a mother. Officially, I cannot provide any assistance, nor can I send any aid to you once you depart the Hold. However…"

The Matriarch smiled, eyes glittering craftily. "The Silver Dragons pride ourselves on our individuality, and even though there are some who would prefer that we, as a race, remain aloof from the events out in the world, I would most certainly not feel it appropriate to restrict any Dragons who feel the need to intercede."

Weiss lifted a hand to hide her grin. _So she knew what Ruby was doing, and implicitly allowed her to gather support… I wonder if she even blocked those who would have restricted her?_

"I… Thank you, Matriarch." Ruby smiled widely, her shoulders sagging slightly in relief.

The elder Silver took another step forward and rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. It was, to be certain, a bit eerie at how similar the two women were, of a height and with almost the same facial features.

"Be careful, my granddaughter," the woman whispered, silver eyes glistening. "Whenever you do decide to return home, know I shall eagerly await your return."

"Thank you, grandmother," Ruby replied, her own silver eyes shining brightly. "For everything."

They both leaned forward at the same time to wrap each other up in a tight hug before the Matriarch released the younger Silver. Giving them all a regal nod, she swept out of the room, silver cloak flaring out behind her and leaving them to their preparations for departure.

As they broke apart towards their rooms, Weiss instead followed Ruby into hers. The Elven Mage had already packed her bags, her satchel and knapsack resting by the door of her bedroom.

"Ruby, may I speak with you for a moment?" she asked softly, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, of course, what's up, Weiss?"

"It's… Well, it's your sister. I don't…" Weiss sighed, looking down at the floor. "I don't suppose you know what is going on, do you? What this bargain is?"

"I don't, no," the brunette replied, wrapping her friend up in a gentle, warm hug. "I know this is eating at you… Lemme talk to her, okay? I'll see if I can't find something out."

Weiss nodded, clutching the girl to her tightly. "She's pushing me away," she confessed softly, tears lurking on the edges of her voice. "I'm afraid whatever will happen… that we shall no longer be together, and I find that truly unbearable…"

"Don't lose hope, Weissy, we'll figure this out."

The platinum-haired woman let out a huff as she pushed the other woman away. "And what did I tell you about that nickname?"

"That because you were my bestest friend I could use it?" Ruby giggled merrily.

"No, I did not… Ugh, you are such a dolt."

"So I've been told," Ruby snickered as she grabbed her small satchel. "Only by you, though."

Weiss shook her head, humor restored at least somewhat as she followed the others towards the entrance. Yang glanced her way inquisitively, eyebrows raised in question. The Elf nodded slightly to indicate she would still ride with her.

_And I'll use the rest of the journey to figure out how to save our relationship, even despite your efforts, you great big blonde oaf. I love you far too much to let you go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tarsellis Meunniduin is the patron deity of the snow elves of Greyhawk and the snow elves of the High Ice region of the Anauroch in Faerun, I thought the Dungeons & Dragons deity appropriate for Weiss.
> 
> So that takes us out of the Silver Dragon Hold. Next stop, the Bronze Dragon Aerie! I wonder who all we shall meet there, hmm?
> 
> Reviewer djjohns94 over on FF.net brought up an excellent point that I'd like to address. In many fantasy settings, particularly D&D, casters often have access to spells such as Resurrection and Raise Dead. It's handy, to be sure if you have the gold or are a high enough level to cast them, but it sort of cheapens the effect of a character dying. As such, I made the decision ahead of time that death in this AU is permanent, humanoids and Dragons alike.


	27. Descent into the Depths

**Volume 3**

**Mountains to the West of Vale**

"I'd rather be eaten by a dragon."  
~ Famous Last Words

Pyrrha gazed ahead with some concern at the lead member of their reduced party, the orange-haired warrior striding at the fore with her oversized warhammer held negligibly over her shoulder. Nora had been unusually recalcitrant ever since Coco's death, none of her typical bubbly bantering in evidence. Jeanne had even left herself wide open for teasing, purposefully, or so the redhead suspected, but there had been no response.

She sighed lightly, turning her focus back to the forest on either side of the group. They had all taken the loss of the Bronze hard, but none so much as the fiery girl with kindred blood flowing in her veins. The brunette had been a part of their lives all too fleetingly, and yet had quickly proved to be a stalwart companion, fun to converse with and a joy to fight beside.

Covering up her yawn, Pyrrha's emerald eyes flickered to the side and slightly behind where her squire trailed, alert and poised as she walked. The night before, by unspoken agreement, both Jeanne and herself had split up the watch evenly. Ren and Nora had talked quietly long into the night, the half-Elf offering what sympathetic support as only he knew how.

She smiled softly to herself. Theirs was a comfortable, loving relationship, the raven-haired man possessing an almost deific level of patience and his lover with an overwhelming, almost manic affection that, together, transcended anything she'd ever seen in a couple.

_The sort of relationship I could envision having with Jeanne were we free to do so, comfortable and enduring._

Pyrrha sighed once more, the smile slipping from her face. No reason to dwell on that yet again, not that her brain ever listened to her in that regard. In any case, the trees ahead were beginning to thin, signifying that they just might be coming up on the edge of the seemingly endless woods.

Perhaps another fifteen minutes later saw the group of four standing just on the crest of a grassy ridge that overlooked the majesty of the mountains that ringed the Kingdom of Vale, providing a natural barrier from most invading armies.

_Not so much by sea, or from the south, but certainly any invasion from the direction of Vacuo would have to go the long way around… Hence, the long-standing peaceful relations between the two kingdoms, even given the propensity for violence of most of the desert nomad tribes._

"Hey," Nora suddenly spoke up, her words slightly muted. "What do they call these mountains, anyway?"

Her boyfriend _hummed_ thoughtfully. "I do not believe anyone has ever given this range a name, simply because they are the only mountains in the region. If anything, they likely just call them the Mountains of Vale."

The orange-haired warrior nodded slowly. "Well, I think we should call them the Coco Mountains."

Pyrrha glanced over, noting the matching smiles on her companions. "I think that would be a grand idea, Nora."

Jeanne spoke up next, the blonde extending an arm off to the right of where they stood. "So, those two mountains… They look a bit flattened on top?"

"They do indeed," Ren murmured. "Good eyes."

"Then our destination is set," the redheaded Knight of Artemis declared firmly. "Jeanne, I believe it is your turn on point, yes?"

"Very well, My Lady," the blonde returned with a slight smile, leading the way down the ridge and into the foothills of the newly-named Coco Mountains.

It took them a good three hours to reach the base of the range where the twin flat-capped mountains were joined. They had come across a wide, level incline some time ago that looked to have perhaps been carved out of the hills themselves. Little brush or other flora grew among the hills aside from grass, making Pyrrha slightly anxious about being seen by their pursuers, but the ancient causeway certainly made the going easier.

And then they found themselves standing before a massive portal, split almost imperceptibly down the middle as if the circular gate would have opened in such a fashion. The towering main doors to the tunnels of Rockhome were easily the height of most castle walls and cannily crafted so as to not leave any gap for the wind or any other elements to seep inside.

Archaic runes carved in a language lost to them eons ago, likely some form of Ancient Dwarven, ringed the doors in letters taller than Pyrrha stood. It was an impressive sight, to be sure, and all the more daunting as she wasn't quite sure how they would be able to breach them.

"Is this the only way in?" Jeanne asked, her voice quiet with awe.

"Were this a normal fortress, there should be a sally-gate nearby," the redhead murmured in reply, emerald eyes searching. "One for defenders to flank anyone assaulting the main gates."

"And for normal foot traffic," an unfamiliar gravelly voice spoke up nearby.

With a startled _yelp_ , Jeanne spun around and raised her shield defensively. The others fanned out to either side but with far less menacing stances.

Facing them was a squat, grizzled Dwarf dressed in old leathers. He had a double-bladed axe tucked through his belt and streaks of grey running through both his long black beard and matching hair that was held back in a ponytail. Scarred knuckles were clenched at his side upon the blonde's reaction, but he carefully kept his hands away from his weapon.

"Also," he continued, the casualness forced into his voice, "the main gates were a bitch to open, usually only done fer special occasions or visitors."

"Jeanne, be at ease," Pyrrha murmured before stepping forward. "You seem to know quite a bit regarding the entrance to Rockhome, m'lord."

He sighed heavily, giving her a curt nod. "So you know the name of this cursed place, eh? I was hopin' you'd just be a buncha dumb travelers… But I suppose that'd be too much to ask fer, eh, Lady Knight?"

"Er, yes," she replied, perplexed. "We… Well, we require passage through these tunnels to the other side."

"Why is that?"

"We have numerous foes in pursuit, and it is imperative we reach Vale," Pyrrha stated.

The Dwarf grunted, eyeing the group with some suspicion, his beady dark eyes glittering in the late afternoon sunlight. "Well, if yer gonna traverse the tunnels of Rockhome, best to do so after a good night's sleep. Likely won't get any inside."

He nodded then, seemingly coming to a decision. "Name's Flint. C'mon, then, you can share my campfire and I'll let you know what yer gettin' into."

"My thanks, Flint," she smiled as her long legs hurried to catch up to his surprisingly fast stubby ones. "My name is Pyrrha, a Knight of Artemis, and this is my squire, Jeanne."

The Dwarf grunted once more, seemingly his preferred way of interaction. "Mistralian, yeah?"

"Yes, that's correct. Behind me are Ren, a Cleric of Oum, and then Nora."

Flint turned slightly, eyeing the last member of the party. "Nice hammer there, kid."

"Thanks, Flint!" the orange-haired warrior piped up, some of her cheerfulness restored.

They soon arrived at a clearing set just far enough away from the main entrance not to be noticed. It was situated against the rocks that made up the base of the mountains and had an air of permanence about it at odds with the way the Dwarf had referred to it.

"Ain't got much food to share," he grunted as he went about striking up a fire in the stone-ringed pit. "But I can put some coffee on, if ya like."

"Coffee?" Nora asked eagerly.

"No, Nora."

"But, Renny…"

"No, Nora."

"Aww." The hammer-wielder in question flopped down on a nearby tree trunk that had been carved into a surprisingly comfortable bench, as Pyrrha found out once she lowered herself down onto it as well.

"Is there a reason she's not allowed coffee?" she whispered towards the half-Elf as he passed her, food in hand to prepare their meal.

Ren paused, giving her a look at was part exasperated, part haunted. "Best not to ask."

"Very well." She turned towards their host, noting that Jeanne had not yet joined them, instead remaining on guard. She smiled slightly at her squire's adherence to duty, yet another quality about the sapphire-eyed blonde that attracted her so.

_Not now, damn it all, focus!_

"So, Flint… It would appear you have been set up here for some time."

The Dwarf nodded as he hung a pot over the flames, suspended by a latticed iron grill that stretched over the top of the firepit. He gestured behind him at the small lean-to that seemed to be crafted from both timber and metal. "Been here almost five years, now, actually."

"Why so long?" Ren asked. He was arranging ingredients into another pot before adding water and placing it atop the iron lattice to cook.

"Suppose that'd be the best place to start, eh?" Flint sat down on a stump that had been fashioned into a chair, complete with armrests, perfectly sized for his stature. "Or, at the least, the reason I ended up here in the first place…"

He waited for dinner to be ready, adding in some meat of his own, freshly-seasoned and cooked venison, and everyone had a plate, before he began. Even Jeanne had relented, though she crouched outside the circle with one wary eye kept upon the surrounding hills and another on their host.

"So, Rockhome," Flint finally began, his low gravelly voice easily reaching those assembled. "Once the shinin' glory of the Dwarven race. Home to many clans, Hill and Mountain Dwarves alike. Used to be just one clan rulin' them all, where they got the name from, but the King of Rockhome invited a buncha others in to help once he hit the motherlode of all gold veins."

The scraggly Dwarf took a sip of his coffee before continuing to his enraptured audience. "See, Rockhome, they started the whole political system most of us Dwarves keep to today, that of a council. Back then it was made up of the heads of the clans, with old Rockhome himself havin' the final vote. 'Twas an era of prosperity for our race, but we were more concerned with diggin', y'know. Findin' more gold, more iron ore, more gems…"

"What happened?" Nora asked breathily into the somber silence, her turquoise eyes shimmering eagerly from the tale.

"They broke through somewhere," he finally grunted. "Weren't no single great evil, so far as the stories tell, but a whole swarm of creatures and folk weren't even known to exist before." He smiled bitterly behind the bristling beard. "As I understand it, the Dwarves of Rockhome managed to destroy part of a Duergar clan's home cavern, and that kinda enmity ain't given up since."

Pyrrha nodded slowly. The Duergar, or Dark Dwarves, were an exclusively subterranean race, and the hatred between them and the surface Dwarves was a thing of legend. "And there were other… creatures… that came out besides the Duergar?"

"Oh, to be sure, plenty o' beasties. Some of 'em pets of them mud-diggers, some of 'em they were fighting. As I understand it, they might have even beaten them all back, were it not for the Drow."

"D- Drow?" Nora squeaked, unusually tremulous. "So, there's really Drow down there?"

"Aye, somewhere down in those tunnels are the things nightmares are made of," Flint affirmed. "Me and six of my mates, we decided to be stupid and see if the legends were true. Did our research, geared up, and went down into there, five years ago…" He sighed heavily. "Only thing waitin' for you lot down there is death, same as my mates. You go down there, be prepared to never see the light ever again."

"Um," Jeanne raised a questioning hand. "What are Drow?"

Unsurprisingly, it was Ren who spoke up in low, serious tones. "The Drow are a race of dark-skinned Elves who live in the Underdark. Very dangerous, very lethal, very violent. Females are usually Clerics and the most powerful, males are usually Mages, but all can fight." He frowned slightly as he looked around the group. "This does considerably change things. The Dark Elves, along with the Duergar, have excellent vision in little to no light. The enchantments on Drow weapons and chainmail armor are powerful, though they dissipate in the daylight."

"It matters not," Pyrrha insisted. "Coco's plan is still solid, especially with how off-course we now are. At this point, we _have_ to carry on if we are to reach Vale."

The half-Elf rubbed at the bridge of his nose wearily but glanced up as his girlfriend rested a hand on his shoulder.

"We gotta do this, Renny," she stated softly, her earlier hesitance gone.

He nodded finally with a quiet sigh. "Very well."

The redhead turned to regard her squire, her insides clenching up momentarily at the thought of sending her alongside herself into what could be a certain death. "Jeanne?" she asked, relieved with how she managed to keep any of the emotion bubbling within her out of her voice.

The blonde glanced up, sapphire eyes calm and accepting. "You know I shall follow you, no matter where you go, My Lady," she stated softly.

Pyrrha could feel the tears begin to brim, and could only nod as she reached up to discreetly wipe them away. By the looks on the rest of her party, nobody was fooled. "Alright, then," she stated somewhat gruffly before clearing her throat. "Flint, we are still resolved in this course. Can you tell us how to enter the tunnels?"

The Dwarf stared back, beady eyes unreadable. "Yeah," he finally grunted. "I'll show ya in the mornin'."

"You could come with us," Pyrrha pleaded with an earnest quiet. "We could certainly use your skills and help."

Flint just shook his head slowly, staring into the dying fire. "Swore on my beard I'd never set foot in that damnable place ever again," he rumbled. "'Cause if I do so, it'd be the end of me."

The redhead nodded, unsurprised but certainly not upset. "I understand. Thank you for your words of wisdom this evening."

"Not that yer gonna follow it any and leave, eh?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Flint grunted once more, though this time it had a note of resigned finality to it. "Well, it's yer funeral."

* * *

Morning dawned, crisp and bright. The air spoke of the coming winter, just around the corner, a cool and biting breeze cutting through their clothing and armor. Pyrrha recalled how the forests they'd traveled through had already begun to change color, signifying the turning of the seasons.

She had a feeling, though, that winter was not far off at all.

As it turned out, Flint had set up his camp in a very specific spot. His lean-to concealed one of the portals that bypassed the main gate to Rockhome. After he'd removed some of the covering, he ushered them inside, parting with one last gift of several bundled cloth-wrapped sticks that could be used as torches to supplement Ren's magical lighting.

He didn't say much else, just sealing the iron portal behind them once more with a resounding _clang_.

"Right," Pyrrha breathed, eyeing the chamber they found themselves in, lit by the light at the end of the Cleric's staff. "Let's hold off on using the torches just yet, I think Ren's light will suffice for now."

The half-Elf gave her a nod. "I only need to renew it every few hours, it isn't that much of a strain."

"Marching order?" Jeanne questioned tersely, standing at the ready by the open doorway leading from the barren chamber.

"Myself, then Nora, Ren." The redhead nodded to herself as she unslung her shield. "Jeanne, take rear guard, please. Everyone keep alert and your weapons ready."

"Got it," Nora chuckled, hefting her hammer eagerly. "Can't wait for _Magnhild_ to make some new friends."

She didn't have long to wait, as the long hallway let them out and into an enormous stone room. Though _room_ didn't really do the vast chamber justice, perhaps  _cavern_ described it better. To the left, they could see the main gate reaching up to the ceiling far above. The width of the entryway was just as immense, enough so that a pair of Gold Dragons might fly through, wingtip-to-wingtip, and the other end was far beyond their vision.

Directly in front of them, however, was an immediate threat.

Skittering forward on spindly legs were a group of spiders the size of horses. The arachnids wasted no time in launching themselves forward at the party of adventurers.

Nora, in turn, wasted even less time in squashing the first giant spider flat with her warhammer after dropping the bundle of unlit torches. Its legs splayed outward as its insides were pulverized, but the one directly behind it was ready with a follow-up attack. After a soft coughing sound, a viscous blob flew out and landed on the orange-haired warrior's face. She stumbled back, dropping her hammer and grasping futilely at the webbing now clotting her eyes, nose, and mouth.

"Oum's blood," Pyrrha scowled, slashing out at another arachnid and severing a pair of legs, causing it to skitter away. "Jeanne, to me! Ren, see to Nora!"

"On it," the half-Elf replied tersely. "Also, language."

A brief smile tugged at the corners of the redhead's mouth before she let it drop, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her squire. Several more globs were hurled, but now that they were expecting them the pair of armored women blocked the attacks with their shields. And then the spiders were upon them, faceted eyes gleaming in the dull lighting. Both women slashed away at the tangle of spindly limbs and snapping mandibles, fortunately not receiving any bites from the latter, seeing how they were all dripping with what was most assuredly lethal venom.

Pyrrha swung her blade overhand, cutting deeply into one incautious attacker before slashing outward and blinding another. But then she felt a tug on her shield and almost lost her balance. Another spider had latched on from afar with a long strand of the sticky webbing, trying to pull her in.

At her side, Jeanne let out a defiant roar and shouldered the redhead back, chopping furiously at the strands. But then she let out a dismayed shout as the now-severed strand retracted, along with her sword.

"Dammit!" the blonde barked out. "I _liked_ that sword!"

"Get behind me!" Pyrrha urged, taking a quick step forward. "Protect my blind side!"

"I've got you, My Lady," her squire agreed, hunkering behind her shield with her hip touching that of her own. They managed to keep the arachnids at bay, though unable to go onto the offensive, while still maintaining a watch for more of the web attacks.

And then there was a pause, the growing assembly of arachnids shrinking back as if suddenly afraid.

The cause for their hesitation stormed past the armored duo, _Magnhild_ in hand. Nora's face was reddened, with wisps of webbing still trailing from her cheeks and her turquoise eyes glinting furiously.

"They're mine," she gritted out darkly.

Pyrrha winced slightly as she watched the pink-armored girl wade into the spiders with abandon. She whirled about, hammer swinging widely and sending the attackers flying in all directions. Soon enough the onslaught was broken up, though a new sound replaced that of the chittering spiders.

Stampeding boots.

"Duergar," Ren reported tensely as he walked up. "We need to move before they arrive."

"I can't find my sword!" Jeanne cried out softly, standing in the midst of spider limbs and dripping ichor.

"We shall have to make do, Jeanne!" the redhead urged, taking her by the armored shoulder. "Ren? Do you see-"

"This way!" the half-Elf called out from where he was dragging a reluctant Nora along. His girlfriend was muttering something about squashing every single bug on the face of Remnant, but he was able to easily pull her along towards the opposite wall from where they'd emerged.

The Mistralian Knight ushered her morose squire ahead of her, soon enough coming to another doorway. Ren had it open already, waving them forward.

"Stairwell!" he reported in a hushed but urgent tone. "Nora is scouting, but we must hurry, they will be able to see us soon!"

Nodding, Pyrrha brushed past him, giving his arm a grateful squeeze. The commotion from outside was cut off as Ren eased the door shut and they started up the stone staircase to catch up with the fourth member of their group.

* * *

The Orc scout grunted as he surveyed the area. The fight had been brief but fierce, two of his group receiving mortal wounds before the damnable little bastard had been felled. He moved easily across the clearing, his blood-stained leather armor hardly making any noise.

But then he drew himself to attention as he heard the stomping of mailed boots approaching. The last member of his scouting group had been sent back to report to their Warboss, and hopefully that would be him now.

Sure enough, the massive scarred Orc entered the clearing, eyes narrowed as he took the scene in.

"This better be good, Grumshel," he growled in their native guttural tongue.

"Oh, it's good, boss," he grinned. Scouts such as himself were proven to be more intelligent than the others in a typical war party, able to think for themselves and follow up on clues that would lead to a successful hunt.

In this case, a group of particularly troublesome humanoids.

The Warboss just grunted, striding over towards where the corpse of their prey lay. He hauled the severed head up by its long beard, revealing the gaping visage of a Dwarf. "And what about this cur was enough to get me down here?"

Wordlessly, the scout gestured around the campsite, pointing out the five dirty plates with fairly recent food scraps. And then he stalked over to the lean-to, pulling it roughly aside to reveal the portal set into the side of the mountain that he'd noticed earlier.

The giant Orc nodded, his beady eyes glittering eagerly before turning to the handful of his elite guard that had accompanied him. "Boys, looks like we're gonna head underground for a bit," he grinned. "Sound the horn, I want the entire horde in there yesterday."

* * *

The group of adventurers had been creeping along the winding passageway for what seemed like hours, yet Ren had assured them that only a single hour at best had passed. They'd paused briefly to remove the rest of the webbing from Nora's face and hair, though the latter would take a thorough bathing to do it justice.

And Jeanne had finally stopped grumbling about her lack of a sword after the first fifteen minutes or so.

They'd come across a few small rooms, most seemingly for storage of supplies, one that seemed to have been an armory at one point, and another filled with some sort of strange gears and machinery. The metal in that room was meshed together in a way that would prevent any of it from being removed, yet none of it was rusted. The purpose of it was uncertain, however.

Eventually, Pyrrha held up a hand from where she led. Distantly a noise had reached her, that of metal clashing on metal. As she strained her senses, she almost made out a noise that sounded a lot like raised voices.

"There's a battle up ahead," Ren confirmed solemnly. "I cannot make out the languages used, however."

"Alright, then," Pyrrha murmured, turning her head slightly. "Be ready." Her eyes drifted over to where Jeanne still brought up the rear determinedly. Clutched in the blonde's right hand was a dagger.

The redhead blinked her eyes uncertainly and then allowed a soft smile to spread across her face at the sparked memory. "Jeanne," she whispered. "Say the word  _lumos_."

"Er, very well, My Lady," the blonde replied, perplexed. " _Lumos_."

The dagger in her hand began to glow a soft white, adding considerably to the light cast by Ren's spell. Jeanne let out a _squawk_ as she almost fumbled the dagger in surprise.

"The same word will dispel it," Pyrrha added with a grin.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was an enchanted blade," Jeanne said hurriedly, grasping for the dagger's sheath that was in the same pouch housing the Orb.

"Don't worry about it, Jeanne," the redhead giggled quietly. "You may keep it. Honestly, I had forgotten Blake and Weiss gave us some of the magical items from Mountain Glen."

"Um." Jeanne looked between the dagger and her Knight before smiling widely. "I thank you, My Lady."

Pyrrha inclined her head, emerald eyes twinkling with humor, before turning forward once more. Her face was set in a steely resolve now as she began moving forward again, alert for any trouble.

After another ten feet or so they came across another door, this one set into the right wall, while all of the others had been along the left. She glanced back at the others, shrugging, as the noise was definitely coming from behind the portal. After receiving a consensus, and their lights had been extinguished, she slowly inched the door open.

And peered out onto a scene straight from the Abyss.

Pyrrha opened the door open the rest of the way and crouched, crawling forward until she could raise herself up to peer over the parapet of the archer's balcony she found herself on. The other three silently joined her, gazing down below.

An enormous, hotly-contested battle had been underway for some time now. From what the redhead could tell, a force of Orcs had been opposed by a larger force of Duergar. The dark-skinned and -armored Dwarves were definitely holding their own, despite the fierce and oversized heavily-armed Orc war party. One particularly humongous Orc was in the middle, swinging his battleaxe with angry roars as he cleaved through several opponents at once.

Other Orcs were not so fortunate, as a number of large bear-like creatures encroached on the flanks of the battle. They stood upright, towering over the green-skinned surface-dwellers, but their snouts ended in a beak that could easily bite through the toughest armor.

Pyrrha shuddered briefly, leaning over to whisper in the ear of her squire. "Owl-bears. Very dangerous."

The blonde nodded, turning so that their cheeks touched to murmur in her own ear. "I figured that. Tough hides and a nasty attack."

The both of them froze suddenly as they realized the rather intimate position they now found themselves in. Cheeks burning brightly, both armored women quickly turned back towards the battle, steadfastly ignoring the quiet giggles coming from Nora's direction.

"Right," she murmured after another minute. "We should…" Her head cocked to the side as she heard the pounding of more booted feet, though this time they didn't seem to be coming from below, instead…

Nora had already reacted, crawling back to lean against the wall next to the door. It was mostly closed, but there was enough of a crack that the sounds of the running Duergar became startlingly clear after only a few moments. Ren, Jeanne, and Pyrrha inched back behind the door opposite from Nora, holding their breaths.

"Why are they coming up here?" the blonde breathed.

"Flanking the Orcs," Pyrrha murmured tersely, gripping shield and sword determinedly.

The footsteps increased in volume until they began to recede once more. Just when they thought they might have escaped detection, the door slammed open and a half-dozen of the squat Duergar spilled out onto the ledge.

Both sides froze, staring at each other in surprise. Before any of the crossbow-wielding Dark Dwarves could react, Nora's hammer smashed down, pulverizing the rearmost of their opponents.

The others sprang into action, quickly cutting the others down before they could raise an alarm. Pyrrha stood over them, breathing heavily, before she glanced at Ren, who had felled a pair of Duergar by himself.

Nodding, the half-Elf slipped around the corner, peering both ways down the hall before sticking his head back in. "Clear," he reported.

"Let's move," the redhead ordered. As they exited the balcony, Jeanne paused and slipped a black-bladed shortsword from the sheath of one of the corpses.

"Better than nothing," the blonde shrugged.

The group moved hastily down the corridor, Ren in the lead now but with his illumination enchantment remaining dispelled. Instead, Jeanne trod close behind, glowing dagger in her off-hand while she clutched her scrounged sword in the other. Pyrrha brought up the rear this time, glancing over her shoulder every so often.

If they didn't run into more reinforcements, the Duergar would at the least come across their slaughtered comrades at some point. Depending, of course, upon the outcome of the battle in the main hall.

After several hundred feet of continued running, Ren brought them up short. They'd ignored the side passages and doorways for the most part, but he paused next to another door, seemingly indistinguishable from the others.

"More Duergar approaching," he stated softly over his shoulder. "Should we duck inside here?"

"Better than fighting them," Pyrrha replied. "We don't know how many there are, and the longer we can remain undetected the better."

Nodding, Ren turned the door handle, giving it a push open when he found it to be unlocked. He stepped aside to allow Nora and Jeanne by first but then followed close upon their heels. Pyrrha was the last through, closing the portal softly but firmly.

The room they found themselves in was barren and wide with three doors at the end, all of which looked to be in the same state as the others they'd come across.

"Why is everything here so well-preserved?" Nora whispered curiously, turquoise eyes roaming about. "Shouldn't they be all rotten and stuff?"

"Dry air," Ren replied gently. "The atmosphere down here prevents rot, though I'm sure the craftsmanship has something to do with it as well."

"Which door?" Jeanne questioned, pointing her glowing dagger at each in turn.

Pyrrha tapped her sword against her armored thigh thoughtfully, the _clinking_ sound echoing from the chamber walls. "Let's try the right-hand one, as that is the direction we were heading."

"Hopefully parallel to our previous course," Ren murmured.

"Precisely."

Jeanne nodded and stepped forward, opening the unlocked door cautiously. When nothing untoward leapt out at them, the group filed through in the same order as before, closing the door behind them carefully.

The hallway they found themselves in gradually sloped downwards, though not quite to the level of the main hall. It did, indeed, seem to be heading in the same easterly direction that they hoped the far entrance could be found.

They continued on, cautiously yet quickly, hoping to avoid any further contact with the enemy.

* * *

The Orc Warboss grunted irritably as he strode towards the head of his greatly-reduced host. He'd lost almost all of his expendable grunts, both to Duergar blades and those Gruumsh-be-damned Owl-bears. The attack to his rear was doubly vexing as it claimed a pair of his elite guard.

But he'd managed to push past them and into a side passageway on the right, leaving some more of his weaker or wounded Orcs behind to delay while he led the advance further inside. He didn't care overmuch about the pit-dwellers, but he was certain those weakling humanoids had come this way. He would have his prize, one way or another, and the forty or so Orcs remaining would be more than enough for the job.

His last remaining scouts glided ahead of him, their black leather rendering them almost invisible against the walls. But then the one on the right let out a startled shout as the very shadows themselves, once a source of concealment, seemed to swallow him whole.

The Warboss growled as he hefted his battleaxe, stopping the progress of the host. The other scout inched back fearfully before something dark whipped out from the blackness, wrapping around his throat before dragging him back with a wet gurgle. His panicked thrashing was cut short soon thereafter.

"Show yerself!" the massive Orc snarled in his guttural native language.

Surprisingly, his opponents decided to oblige. A trio of ebony-skinned Elves confidently walked forward, swaying as they each trailed a bundled set of black whips which writhed like living things. Their hair was bone-white and their armor linked rings of enchanted chainmail, silent and flowing over their lithe bodies like water.

"You're far from home, Orc," the one in the middle purred in the Common tongue.

"Outta my way, Elf bitch," he growled back in the same language, the words clumsy and forced as they fell from his lips.

"Oh, now, really?" the Drow on the right asked with a sly grin. "Such impudence."

"I think we should teach him manners, my sisters," the one on the left snickered softly.

Having heard enough of their inane banter, the Orc Chieftain let out a challenging bellow and gripped his axe tightly. As he did so, several small crossbow bolts rained out from the sides, cutting down more of his horde. And then from below him, tentacles made up of blackness darker than a moonless night sky wrapped around his body in a constricting embrace.

"Very well, then, _Orc_ ," the middle Drow called out, speaking his race this time as if a curse in its own right. "Let us dance."

* * *

"Have we lost them?" Jeanne panted from up front.

"Perhaps," Pyrrha responded, just as out of breath as her squire.

They'd run into one batch of bad luck after another. The first chamber they'd come across had been inhabited by a group of Wraiths, shadowy creatures of the undead, who were none too pleased with the intrusion. Fortunately, Ren was able to quickly summon up a repelling rune that allowed them to escape out the other side of the room.

After that, the hallway rejoined the original one they'd been traversing, spilling them out right in the middle of another group of Duergar who had just ascended a staircase directly across from them.

This time, the fighting was fiercer and certainly louder. Any hope of stealth was dashed as they defeated the first group, only to hear shouts of reinforcements on the way.

By this point, they had been running without a break for almost an hour. All of them were winded, Ren in particular though he'd not voiced one word of complaint.

"Let's rest for just a moment," the redhead advised, slowing her sprint down to a walk while gulping in huge lungfuls of air.

The half-Elf Cleric trudged along, seemingly even wearier now that the pace had slowed. He pushed off the wall with each step to steady himself. Nora kept herself in his shadow, seemingly to catch her lover if he faltered, though she herself could barely heft her warhammer.

"Jeanne," she called out softly. "Any side-chambers ahead?"

"One," the blonde confirmed over her shoulder. Though her pauldrons heaved with each breath, the Knight-in-training was as fit as Pyrrha herself, quickly recovering from their earlier manic pace.

"Let's try it."

"Very well, My Lady. I'll take point, then?"

"Please."

Jeanne shouldered the door in, dropping any subtlety by this point. She was quick to wave them forward and inside as she guarded the portal.

The small storage room was, as with just about every other chamber they'd come across, empty. Both Ren and Nora wearily sagged to the ground, sweating and still breathing heavily, while Pyrrha and Jeanne stood guard, stretching their limbs so as not to seize up.

They heard several search parties move past their door, but none stopped to search the room. Just in case, though, Pyrrha kept her boot firmly planted against the door each time she heard a commotion outside. Hopefully, anyone trying it would assume it to be locked.

After fifteen minutes, though, the sounds of pursuit seemed to have dwindled away into nothing.

"Maybe they found something else to occupy themselves with," Jeanne murmured, leaning against the wall now in a crouch. "Do you think all those Orcs got taken care of?"

"It was a large war party," Pyrrha murmured consideringly. "I doubt they would have been easily eliminated."

"Likely the same group of Orcs who have been dogging us for so long," Ren sighed, Nora's head upon his shoulder as they rested.

"Fuckin' Orcs," the orange-haired warrior mumbled. "Hate 'em."

"I know, Nora," her boyfriend reassured her gently.

Pyrrha offered the pair a sympathetic smile. "We should get going again. It has been a few hours since we entered these tunnels, hopefully we are at the least halfway through."

"Right," Jeanne grunted as she stood. "So long as we don't venture any further down, we should stay out of the deeper tunnels, right?"

"That's what I'm hoping for," the redhead agreed. "We've passed several staircases, but so long as we remain on this level I hope to come across the rear entrance."

"What if the rear entrance is lower than us?" Nora asked, stretching as she regained her footing and helped the raven-haired Cleric up as well.

"Let's not dwell on that," Pyrrha stated firmly. "The main hallway seemed to be one long tunnel, I believe it would have connected the two entrances."

"And if not, we'll figure it out when we get there," the blonde added supportively.

Pyrrha offered her a slight smile as they eased themselves out and into the deserted hallway.

Their passage was, thankfully, unopposed as they traversed the long hallway. Several times they had to duck into a side chamber to avoid detection, but for the most part, a good hour and a half passed without anything untoward happening.

Eventually, though, their progress was halted by a pair of large, ornate, bronze-sheathed doors. Naturally, they were locked.

"Do we backtrack?" Jeanne wondered.

Pyrrha sighed and shook her head. "No, the last side passage was a half hour ago, I do not want to lose that much time. Besides which, this should be near where we need to go." She bent over to regard the large keyhole. "I do wish we had Blake with us, however."

"Ah, don't worry any, Pyrrha," Nora chuckled. "I have my own set of lockpicks."

"You… do?" the redhead asked, standing back up.

"Yep! Just stand back and lemme do my work!"

"Very well," she replied hesitantly.

Jeanne stepped up to her side. "You _do_ know what her method of lockpicking will be, right?" she murmured humorously.

The redhead blinked several times before letting out a groan. "Nora-"

She was cut off by the ringing _boom_ of both doors slamming inwards, propelled by a mighty swing of _Magnhild_. Nora stood by, grinning cheerfully.

"See? Just as good as any Rogue!"

"Yes, quite stealthy," Jeanne deadpanned.

Pyrrha just shook her head wearily and stepped into the wide chamber. It was ringed by massive statues of Dwarves made of marble. The armored figures held long-handled battleaxes attentively, facing one another along the long hallway. Magical globes illuminated the room from the ceiling high overhead.

Before she could take another step, Ren halted her with a hand on her shoulder. "It's trapped," he reported with a frown. "I can see the glyphs set into the floor at random intervals, they're weak but effective still."

"If you can see them, you can traverse the hallway, correct?"

"Yes, I could… You would all have to match my footing precisely."

"I think we can manage that…" Pyrrha paused as she tilted her head at an approaching sound. "Oh, no… not now…"

"We've got company," Jeanne affirmed. The shouting was getting closer, enough so that they could make out movement at the far end from where they'd come.

Pyrrha looked towards the ruined doors frantically. There was no way to secure them again.

She turned then to see Nora regarding her sadly. "I'm sorry," the orange-haired girl solemnly murmured to her.

"Don't you worry about it," Pyrrha returned confidently. "How fast can you run?"

The pink-armored woman perked up quickly. "As fast as my Renny can!"

By this point crossbow bolts were beginning to land among them, plinking off of the shields that Jeanne and Pyrrha had raised.

"On the count of three, we run!" the redhead barked out. "One… Two…"

"Oum preserve us," both Jeanne and Ren murmured simultaneously.

"THREE!"

Both Ren and Nora turned, sprinting forward, with the other pair hard on their heels. Soon enough, though, the half-Elf and his girlfriend pulled ahead, leaving Pyrrha lagging slightly behind. She kept her shield slung across her back now to deflect any bolts, but one burned a trail along her right forearm, not enough to cause her to worry. Flashes of light from behind them reflected off of the marble statues on either side and then loud thudding sounds could be heard amidst the sudden screams of agony.

As Ren and Nora pulled further ahead, Pyrrha could see the glyphs light up on the floor after they'd passed. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted movement as the statues came to life all around her.

"Keep running!" she screamed, her arms pumping at her sides. "Don't slow down!"

She was dropping further behind, even Jeanne by this point having outdistanced her by a number of strides. The redhead, for the first time in her life, cursed her ornate and heavy armor. It was a second skin to her, the very foundation of a Knight's being, and certainly heavier than the rudimentary armor that Jeanne wore.

But it was slowing her down.

Now she could see the statues as they began to raise their massive axes, stony faces a mask of indifference as they attempted to fulfill their ancient masters' design and kill the intruders.

"Door!" Nora hollered out. Without breaking stride, she unlimbered her warhammer, twirling it about her head before hurtling into the rear doorways, smashing them inwards.

She was almost there, just a few more strides…

Panicked, the redhead watched the last battleaxe as it began to descend, right in her path.

With a determined scream, the armored Knight put on a last burst of speed and leapt through the doorway, Jeanne grabbing hold of her arm to help fling her through, just as the axe slammed into the ground behind her. She rolled over, wide-eyed, only to see Jeanne and Ren struggling to pull the doors closed, while Nora wrestled with a massive iron bench.

But she didn't really pay attention to any of that. Instead, her vision was filled with the sight of towering Dwarven statues as they methodically cut the pursuing Duergar into bloody, meaty pulp.

And then the scene was cut off as the doors closed, Nora slamming their improvised barricade across them.

Breathing heavily, all four managed to make their way over to the far wall to slump wearily against it.

"Well," Pyrrha panted. "That was…"

"Bracing?" Ren opined mildly.

"Terrifying?" Jeanne supplied next.

"Awesome!" Nora cheered, though her enthusiasm was somewhat muted.

"Yes," the redhead eventually replied. "All of those. We can't rest for long, however, we're too close."

The blonde squire peered down both directions of the hallway they found themselves in. "Which way?"

Pyrrha wearily pointed towards their left. "Main hall should be that way."

"Hopefully without further opposition," Jeanne sighed as she pulled herself up.

"Oh, Jeannie," Nora snickered. "Where'd the fun be in that?"

The blonde shook her head as the group cautiously made their way towards their goal. "You and I have a very different definition of fun, Nora."

"Too true, too true."

* * *

Only seven Orcs left, including himself. The Warboss growled under his breath, ignoring the slight twinge from his injured right leg as he stomped down the corridor. He'd begun his hunt with almost two hundred brave warriors, and this was what he was reduced to now.

Seven Gruumsh-fucking Orcs.

Of those, one was missing his left hand. Fortunately, he was able to strap a wooden shield to the bloody stump and wield his spiked mace without further hindrance. But all of them were exhausted from the constant battling they'd been faced with ever since they'd entered this thrice-damned network of tunnels.

"Fucking Drow," he muttered angrily. "Sheep-rutting Duergar. Be too soon I see another one o' them dark-skinned bastards again."

The passageways they traversed along the right from the main hall seemed to curve inwards now, before meeting up with another cross-passage. The Chieftain grunted at one of his guard, gesturing towards the right. He returned within a minute to report a small door there which opened to the outside.

"Ain't been used much," his lieutenant rumbled. "Floor was dusty. Good bet they ain't been by yet."

"And if that was a side door…" The Warboss grunted thoughtfully. He turned towards the left fork, leading his men out and into the main hall once more. Ahead was an enormous door, mate to the one on the other side.

"Right," the giant Orc stated firmly. "Carguk, head out that first door, go hunt up another war party. I don't give a shit if they're Bloodletters or Deathstalkers or whoever the fuck you find, you get them over this way to link up with us. Got me?"

In response, his lieutenant wordlessly slammed his mailed fist against his chestplate before turning and heading back the way they came.

"As for the rest of you curs," he grinned darkly. "Let's go catch us some weaklings before they escape."

* * *

Pyrrha peered down the dark corridor. She didn't know why she thought she'd be able to see anything with her Human eyes, really, and so pulled her head back again with an irritated huff of air. "Ren," she implored quietly.

The half-Elf gave her shoulder a gentle pat as he eased past her from the room they were currently crouched warily within. He stood, motionless at the door for the span of a full minute.

"I don't sense anything," he finally murmured over his shoulder. "Not even the movement of air, there might be another door ahead."

"Okay, let's move, then," the redhead ordered.

Ren walked first with Pyrrha right behind him, her left arm on his shoulder while her right clutched her sword determinedly but out to the side so as not to accidentally skewer anyone. She felt Nora's strong hand clasp her own shoulder from behind as they eased their way forward.

Sure enough, they found themselves at another door. Ren paused to listen but eventually shook his head. With a resigned sigh, Pyrrha equipped her shield and shouldered the door open.

Standing in a ring around the doorway and waiting patiently were six Orcs, one of them the massively towering warrior they'd observed from the battle in the main hall.

"'Bout damn time," the big one grunted in the common tongue. He eyed the group as they edged inside the chamber, lit by several sputtering torched along the walls. "Where's the other one?"

Pyrrha set herself into a fighting stance. "What other one?" she asked, scanning the group before her. Two with shields, a variety of melee weapons. Only one with a spear, he'd be the first target, though the big one would prove troublesome. As she formulated her plan of attack, Nora gave her a nudge to the side as she set herself firmly in front of the giant Orc.

The redhead gave an imperceptible nod. _Right, he's all yours, Nora._

"S'posed to be five of you curs," the big one finally spoke up again.

"Only four," she stated levelly. "My name is Lady Pyrrha Nikos of the Order of Artemis. This is your only chance to step away from our path."

The Orc Chieftain threw his head back and laughed heartily, soon joined by the rest of his party.

"Whelp, that answers that!" Nora cheered before launching herself forward.

The orange-haired warrior took the Warboss by surprise, though he recovered quickly, moving far more nimbly than his size would suggest. Still, even though the diminutive hammer-wielder only came up barely past his waist, she twirled _Magnhild_ about her waist in a blur, causing him to backpedal. His own battleaxe was barely able to fend off her advance.

Before the other Orcs could give their Chieftain assistance, the others threw themselves into battle as well. Pyrrha sailed in, casually batting aside the spear before skewering the holder through his throat, ripping to the side to ensure his death. She whirled, shield raised to catch the powerful strike of a spiked morningstar which caused her to grunt as she was pushed back a pace. She quickly slid in under his guard and eviscerated the Orc neatly in the small gap where his chestpiece met his belt.

The redheaded Knight ducked to the side, avoiding the overhand strike from a large double-bladed axe. Before she could retaliate, though, Ren was there, battering his foe with precise and powerful strikes of his staff to nearly every exposed limb. After only a heartbeat, the Orc slumped to the ground, his head flopping to the side atop his neck from where the Cleric's staff had broken it.

Jeanne had managed to hold her own even with the shortsword that she was unaccustomed to wielding. Fortunately, the rigorous training within the Order included various bladed weaponry, so she wasn't at that great a disadvantage. Still, only one Orc lay at her feet, bleeding from his empty eye socket, while her shield intercepted the crushing strikes from her other opponent's greatsword. She was unable to get close enough for her shorter-reach weapon to come into play, but Pyrrha saw no reason to stand on formality. With a quick lunge, she scored a hit along the Orc's thigh, causing him to stumble and allow the blonde to finally slip under his guard and plunge her blade past his ring mail armor and into his heart.

As her attacker slumped to the ground, she pulled her sword out, but let out a muted curse as she stumbled back, clutching only the hilt.

"Damned inferior blades," the Knight-in-training muttered, flinging it away and looking about for a suitable replacement.

Pyrrha stepped over to where Ren was observing the still-ongoing duel between Nora and the Warboss. The Orc was limping badly now from a few close calls, the massive warhammer whistling through spaces that he just barely managed to evacuate in time.

"Is she toying with him?" the redhead inquired mildly.

"Not so much, no," Ren replied. "But she _is_ drawing it out a bit."

Pyrrha sighed and raised her voice a bit. "Nora, can we get on with it, please?"

"Oh, fine," the pink-armored warrior huffed. The speed of her strikes increased, ringing against the battleaxe until it momentarily paused. Thinking he finally had an opening, the Warboss lunged forward with a roar, only to be brought up short by the backswing that caught him in the gut. All the air left him in a rush as the sound of several ribs cracking echoed throughout the chamber, and his weapon clattered to the floor beside him. With a gleeful cackle, Nora spun in place and brought _Magnhild_ around to deliver a fierce uppercut, rending the Orc's head clean from his shoulders, along with his massive spiked pauldrons.

"Nicely done, Nora," the redhead complimented her politely.

"Thanks, Pyrrha!"

"My Lady," her squire sighed from behind her. "I'm unable to find a suitable weapon."

Nora walked up, her warhammer hefted in one hand while the other held the equally-enormous battleaxe of the slain warboss. "How about an axe?" she inquired cheerfully.

Jeanne eyed the effervescent girl warily. "No. Thank you, but… No."

Smiling fondly, Pyrrha led them out of the room and into the next passageway. It split off into two directions. They tried the right-hand one first and ended up back in the main hall, facing the towering main doors to the rear of Rockhome. Unwilling to risk coming across any more of the Underdark natives, they party turned and headed in the other direction.

It was almost anticlimactic when they finally found the smaller side entrance in a room similar to the one they'd entered in from the other side of the mountains. The floor there, however, was littered with the dusty remains of a conflict from long ago.

"Eww," Nora exclaimed as she bent over a desiccated corpse, still clad in rotting leather armor. "He's nasty-looking."

"I suppose they tried to gain entrance," Ren mused, looking about with his lighted staff held high. "And were opposed by the new denizens of Rockhome."

"Mostly crossbow bolts," Pyrrha noted idly, looking around at the rusted lumps of armor. "Ambush, perhaps? Well, in any case, let us leave this place without further delay."

"Wait, please," Jeanne murmured from the far end of the room. She was crouched in front of a small alcove, her enchanted dagger held out in front of her.

The redheaded Knight stepped up. "What do you see, Jeanne?"

"Looks like this was the last survivor," she replied softly, indicating the huddled corpse leaning against the wall in the alcove. The body was clad in rusted armor and tattered clothing like the rest of those in the room, but Pyrrha could see what had caught her squire's attention. A longsword was clutched in a skeletal hand, but it shone brightly, not a trace of rust on it.

Pyrrha smiled slightly. "I do not think it would be a disrespect of this poor soul to take up his weapon. He might even appreciate it, were his spirit looking down upon you."

With a resolute nod, Jeanne leaned forward and freed the pristine weapon from the corpse's grip. As she took it by the hilt, it let out a soft _hum_ and began to glow subtly.

The blonde turned towards her Knight with an excited grin. "I'll call her _Crocea Mors_ ," she stated happily.

"Her?"

"Er…" Jeanne's grin turned a bit bashful as she stood up, her new weapon held aloft. "Well, yes, I seem to have picked up on some of Ruby's habits."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Pyrrha assured her with a chuckle.

Together the party emerged into the late afternoon sky, the sun casting deep shadows from where it set behind the mountains they had just crossed.

"We'll need to make camp," the redhead stated, leading them down and into the nearby forest.

"And then, on to Vale!" Nora cheered excitedly.

Ren nodded amicably. "With hopefully fewer obstacles."

"And again with the jinxing of us!" Jeanne retorted playfully, her spirits elevated alongside the others as they left behind the tunnels of Rockhome. Her new sword mostly fit into her old sheath, only perhaps an inch of blade showing from the top.

"I'm sure we could all say a small prayer to Oum tonight," Pyrrha assured her squire. "We have a lot to be thankful for."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Bit of a longer chapter this time as I'd decided to combine two shorter ones, though the thing in its entirety managed to get away from me (they often do). Flint's character is a little homage to the Dragonlance series by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis. Anyone having read the series would recognize the name of Flint Fireforge. I grew up on the first editions of those books.
> 
> Next up, we rejoin RWBY for the last chapter in this volume!


	28. With Friends Like These

**Volume 3**

**Near The Bronze Dragon Aerie**

"What goes up must come down, unless a dragon eats it."  
~ Brian Rathbone

Blake snuggled in tighter against the soft argent mane, her arms and legs adjusting slightly to keep from going numb where they wrapped around the Silver Dragon's neck. It wasn't a terribly long flight from the Hold to the Aerie, certainly shorter than the trip from Mountain Glen, but it'd taken up much of the day. The Cat Faunus had gotten used to the wind by this point, keeping her furry ears flattened against her head for protection and her black cloak firmly wrapped around her body.

Even with the constant stream of cold air playing across her body, she felt warm and secure on her perch.

So much so that she'd been unabashedly purring for much of the journey this afternoon.

 _There's no use denying it anymore,_ she thought ruefully. _I am head over heels for this quirky, bubbly brunette girl. Who just so happens to be a Dragon._

She shook her head slightly, raven tresses streaming out behind her. _I may have come to terms with that objectively, but I still do not know what that would mean for us. My lifespan would be the blink of an eye for one such as her. Would she even be able to regard the two of us with as much significance as I would?_

Again she shook her head, though in irritation with herself this time. Questioning Ruby's feelings on the matter was presumptive at best when she hadn't even come out and expressed her interest. There had been some careful insinuations up to this point, and she was fairly certain her feelings were returned, but until then… Until she could summon up the courage to actually _say_ the words, express her regard for the woman whose back she currently clung to… Well, they would have to make do with things the way they now were.

Uncertain, but at the very least, friends.

Blake gave a start as Ruby's head turned, peering at her with one stormy grey eye the size of a serving platter. "The Aerie is coming up," the Silver rumbled just loud enough for her Faunus hearing to make out.

She nodded in return, stroking the side of her neck absentmindedly. "I'll be glad for the rest," she replied. A blush crept up her neck as she realized what her hand was doing and she stilled herself abashedly.

If she didn't know better, she could have sworn a toothy grin had tugged at the edge of Ruby's mouth before she faced forward once more.

 _When this is done, our quest complete and Vale safe once more… You and I are having a talk, Ruby,_ she resolutely determined. Another blush made her cheeks hot as her mind wandered as it tended to do upon the results of such a discussion, or at least the direction she hoped it would take. _If Weiss could make this work, so can I_.

At the thought of her Elven friend, she snuck a glance to the side. The Mage had her hands and face buried in the golden mane from where she rode behind her lover's neck. Her brow furrowed as she imagined their flight had been far more uncomfortable than hers. The sudden lack of communication between the two was troublesome. Ruby had discreetly mentioned during the trip that Weiss had asked her to speak with her Gold Dragon sister.

The raven-haired girl desperately wished for Ruby's success in that endeavor, as she just as adamantly wanted the pair of them to be happy once more.

_Why can't life be easier in such matters…_

A shadow crossed her from the sun low on the horizon. Blake looked up again and easily spotted several massive forms circling around the small group, the light glinting off of their bronze scales.

She craned her neck around the other side of Ruby's neck, and her jaw dropped in astonishment.

Whereas the Silver Dragon Hold was a single wide cavern carved out of the side of a mountain, with a network of tunnels and passageways therein, the Bronze Dragon Aerie was far more open. It was situated around the circumference of a large, flat-topped mountain. If it weren't so immense it might have been called a mesa, but there was no denying the sheer size of the Aerie.

Caverns and caves dotted the sides, seemingly small enough for birds, but the forms of Dragons could be seen in and about them. The scale of it was staggering, but when the Silver she rode behind gained enough altitude that they could view the top of the mountain, the shock of what she now beheld was enough to almost make her lose her seating.

It was hollow.

And then Blake had to revise her understanding of the Aerie itself with the limited knowledge she'd gleaned from 'borrowed' geology books over the years. It wasn't a mountain at all, but a long-extinct volcano. More caves dotted the inside of the rocky formation, and the inside space was filled with wheeling, soaring forms of Bronze Dragons of all different sizes.

"Wow," she breathed.

At the lip of the volcano was an artificially leveled platform, smooth and ringed with sentries. Ruby followed Yang down to that point, coming in for a slow and graceful landing.

 _What was the name for this? A cone crater of some sort?_ Blake shrugged to herself, filing it away to be researched the next time she found herself in a library. Legitimately or otherwise.

She felt the slight bump as Ruby's claws met with the rock, and shifted to the side as her friend bent and extended her wing. With now-practiced ease, she slid down and into a graceful crouch, straightening up to turn and offer the Silver a small smile.

"Thank you for the smooth landing," she murmured.

Ruby chuckled deeply, giving her a wink. "Anytime, Blakey."

The Faunus Rogue turned so that she wouldn't have to suppress the happy grin that always snuck up on her when she heard Ruby call her that.

But then she schooled her features into her customary neutral mask as a pair of Bronze Dragons landed across from them. She stepped to the side where Weiss stood patiently, hands folded in front of her demurely.

"Any progress?" she whispered.

The platinum-haired Elf just sighed and shook her head minutely. But then Yang took a few steps forward, barking out a laugh that sounded like thunder from so close.

"Yatsu! Fox! Oum's blood, it's good to see you two again!"

"Heard you kidnapped our little sister," the Bronze on the right rumbled good-naturedly. He leaned forward and brushed his snout alongside that of the Gold. Blake was a bit amused at the action, easily finding the similarities to how both cats and Cat Faunus greeted each other.

_I suppose they're just enormous, scaly cats? With wings? And… breathe fire?_

Well, the simile sounded better before she really gave it any thought.

She glanced to the side where Ruby was crouched, the pearlescent wing that was folded against her body close enough for her to brush her hand along it. In fact, she had to look away again and actively fight against the urge to do so, momentarily chewing on her bottom lip at the distraction.

Blake glanced sharply over towards Weiss at the almost inaudible giggle that spilled from the smaller woman's lips. Evidently, she'd not been as discreet as she thought she'd been.

"Oh, hush, you," she whispered without any heat behind the words.

"I didn't say a thing," the Elf retorted mildly.

"You didn't need to."

"It's just… cute."

"Cute?"

"Mmhmm." The corners of Weiss' mouth quirked slightly, though she kept her gaze serenely on the interactions of the three Dragons before them. "Your attempts at remaining subtle in your affections."

"I don't… I'm not…" The Cat Faunus snorted humorously. "Hush."

"Yes, dear."

Yang was stepping back then, crouching onto her rear legs so that she could extend a clawed hand to the side. "So, guys, this is Weiss Schnee and Blake Belladonna, and then this here…"

Both Bronze Dragons bowed deeply, chins almost scraping the rocky ground. "You finally found your sister," the one on the right stated warmly.

"Welcome to the Aerie, Ruthralynnaerias," the other Bronze stated with equal warmth. "I am Foshurelythansyllia, and this is my brother, Yatsuhashythansyllia. We are at your service."

"No, please," the Silver protested, her wings fluttering slightly at her sides in distress. "I'm just Ruby, there's no need for all that, really."

"Very well, then, Ruby." They both straightened up while the second Dragon gave the entire group a solemn nod. "Please call me Yatsu. It is a pleasure to meet friends and family of Yang."

"And by all means, call me Fox," his brother stated merrily. "Though it'd be hard to miss, as much as I get on Yang's nerves."

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Gold in question stated loftily, snout up in the air.

"Oh, then, I suppose you've already forgiven me for the sheep incident?"

"Fox!" she growled in return, crimson eyes swirling dangerously. "I thought we agreed never to mention that ever again."

"Oh, but surely your friends would appreciate a good tale-"

Yang loomed forward, and Blake was suddenly struck by the size difference between the two. In fact, it looked as if both of the Bronze Dragons before her were just a bit smaller than she remembered Coco being. _Perhaps female Dragons are bigger than the males?_

"Fox…" the Gold rumbled ominously.

"Yes?" the Bronze replied cheekily, though he shrunk back ever so slightly from the intimidating woman.

"Not. Another. Word."

"No sheep. Gotcha."

Ruby's snort of laughter almost blew the Cat Faunus' cloak from her shoulders. "I need to get some quality time with Fox," she giggled, the deep sound incongruous with the light, feminine overtones of the brunette girl. "I'm missing out on a lot of blackmail-worthy stories…"

"Alright, now," Yatsu interjected with the weary air of someone who had to come to his irrepressible brother's aid more often than he'd like. "Our guests have just arrived, no need to start another rumble."

"I don't mind the rumbling," Yang snorted, sitting back on her haunches once more.

"That's because you always win," the first Bronze deadpanned.

"One day, goldie," Fox sighed melodramatically. "One day I shall win against you."

"Oh, please, if your sister couldn't, there's no way you could, pint-size."

"Pint-size?"

Blake hid her wide grin behind a hand as she turned towards Ruby once more. "I suppose, comparatively speaking…"

"And besides, Ruby over there is smaller than I am!"

"Hey now!" the Silver interjected. "Don't go pulling me into this!"

"Speaking of our dear sister," Yatsu interjected once more. There was an even chance he'd been the mediator between the Bronze and Gold for some time now, especially as they grew up in the Aerie together. "Where did you stash Coco, has she not accompanied you?"

"No, she remained with another group of our friends to protect them," Yang stated confidently. "We should be able to meet up with them in a day or so, with any luck. But first…"

The Gold turned her head inquiringly to her sister, who took a step forward. "We're seeking assistance," Ruby explained with quiet determination. "Our friends carry the Orb of Azure back to Vale, and as Yang said, we intend to join them. But Cindeshthyaleramathe, mate of Embalytherionyz, stirs. We would oppose whatever her intentions may be, though I have the feeling they are set against the kingdom to which we travel."

Fox and Yatsu shared a long look. "So, do you ride to war?" the calmer of the two Bronze brothers asked levelly.

"I truly hope that is not the case," Ruby replied with equal solemnity. "But if it comes to it, we must stop the Red before her plans come to fruition."

"But you do not know what those plans are."

"I do not, no. I have assumptions, but they are based upon what we learned the last time we were in Vale. The loss of leadership, rising crime and unrest… They all point to an undermining of the kingdom of humanoids who are unprotected from a Dragon incursion without the Orb's power."

Fox sighed as he flopped to the ground, snout resting in between his extended forelimbs. "It makes sense, never known a Red who _didn't_ hold a grudge. And she'd have a powerful one against Vale."

"For the loss of her mate? Certainly." Yatsu regarded Ruby intently. "Have you come from the Silver Hold?"

"I have, and I have a number of Silvers who will follow. Qrow, also, has stayed behind to help convince more to our side."

"It's not an easy thing we ask," Yang added carefully. "In fact, it goes against the peace we have maintained the last dozen years or so."

"Twenty-four Dragons," Yatsu intoned in a deep murmur. "They all died on the battlefield, twenty-four Dragons is a considerable number for a dwindling race such as ours. But…"

"But it's the right thing to do," Fox added, his head perking up.

"It is indeed," Yatsu sighed. "I despair of what another conflict between Dragons might result in."

"Believe me, I feel the same," Ruby responded sadly. "But to let her succeed would invalidate the cause that my parents died for."

"We won't let that happen," Yang assured her sister firmly.

"No, we won't," Fox agreed, lumbering back to his feet.

The Silver inclined her head gratefully. "Thank you. Would I be able to gain an audience with the Bronze Matriarch?"

"On such short notice?" Fox snorted inelegantly. "Doubtful."

"But there is no need for that," Yatsu assured her. "We will speak in your stead as soon as we can approach her. We do not want to delay your journey any." The Bronze lifted his head and peered over the lip of the Aerie. "Will you be spending the night?"

"I think that might be for the best, if there is room for us," Blake spoke up timidly.

"We always have room, Miss Belladonna," Yatsu assured the Faunus woman. "Perhaps not so many guest quarters for humanoids, but I'm sure we can provide."

"Is…" The Gold glanced away for a moment before her crimson gaze settled upon the pair of Dragons once again. "Is the old room available?"

"You mean the one they crammed us hatchlings into when they wanted us out of their scales?" Fox grinned widely, showing rows upon rows of sharp teeth. "I'm sure it is."

Yang opened her mouth to reply but was overridden by a loud bellow preceding another Bronze's arrival. This one was considerably larger than most Bronze Dragons they'd seen so far, though still a bit smaller than the Gold.

"Yanzhiellewenayuros!" he thundered, rearing up on his hind legs. "You dare show that ugly snout of yours around the Aerie?"

"Oh, now that's just hurtful," Yang snorted, unconcerned with the bristling Dragon. "How've ya been, Sageithosrynnian?"

"I hunger for revenge!" the Bronze replied fiercely.

The Gold let out a sigh. "Always with the melodrama." She ponderously turned her head to regard her perplexed traveling companions. "Mind if I take care of this for a tic?"

"Um, no," Ruby murmured. "You go right ahead."

"Thanks, sis!" she chirped, the sound rather disconcerting coming from her massive maw.

"Sis?" the newcomer interjected, all traces of indignation gone. "Oh, you found her! Marvelous, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ruthralynnaerias!"

"Ah, yeah…" The Silver waved one claw aimlessly. "Just Ruby, though."

"And you may call me Sage, my dear. Now, then, if you'll excuse me…" He seemed to draw himself up once more, bristling in anger. "Are you prepared to meet your doom at last?"

"Yeah, yeah, meet my doom, blah blah," the Gold grunted, stalking over towards the edge of the platform. "We gonna do this or what?"

Fox and Yatsu had sidled up to the trio in the meantime, one on either side of the girls. "She knows how much that annoys him," Fox snorted humorously.

"Er, are they about to actually fight?" Weiss inquired nervously.

"Have no fear, noble Elf," Yatsu rumbled mildly. "They do this every time they meet. Theirs is an odd friendship."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think he fancies her," his brother added with a Dragony smirk.

At that, Weiss' eyes narrowed dangerously and her hand tightened on her rapier. The Cat Faunus laid a restraining hand on her arm.

"Easy, now," Blake murmured.

"He'd better _not_ have a fancy for her," the Elven Mage growled quietly.

The pre-fight dance between the two Dragons seemed to have ended with the Bronze in a heroic-seeming posture.

"Ready yourself for defeat, Yanzhiellewenayuros!"

Yang snorted derisively, not even rising to the bait. In fact, she looked to be downright lounging indolently on the ground, snout propped up on one clawed hand. "You know you're just gonna get your ass beat again, right?" she inquired levelly.

The Bronze let out a bellow, flinging himself forward and onto the prone Gold.

Only, she was no longer where she'd just been lying.

With a dexterity that seemed wholly impossible for a creature her size, Yang had twisted herself around, avoiding the charge and placing her in an advantageous position all at once. She landed a solid kick against Sage's side, sending him tumbling.

"So I guess the saying is true," the Gold jeered, pacing around as the other Dragon struggled to his feet. "You can't teach an old Dragon new tricks. Haven't you picked up any new moves in the past decade?"

"And this is why I always lose to her," Fox grumbled.

"She _is_ one of the best fighters in all of Dragonkind," Yatsu agreed warmly.

"So, then, why does Sage challenge her?" Blake asked curiously.

"Well…" Fox shifted to peer down at the raven-haired Faunus. "Like I said, rumor has it he fancies her, though she's been beating him soundly since she was a hatchling."

"Keep in mind," Yatsu added, "he's a full century older than her. By now it's more a matter of principle than pride, even though the outcome is all but determined."

Weiss was shaking with the effort to contain herself but could do so no longer. "You kick his butt, Yang!" she shouted imperiously.

The Gold paused and glanced their way, giving them a smirk and a nod. "As you wish, princess."

"Princess?" Fox inquired. "My apologies, I did not know you were royalty!"

"No, no, it's not…" The platinum blonde let out an irritable huff of air. "It's just a nickname," she mumbled.

"Oh, I see…" Fox nodded slowly but then froze. His massive head rapidly switched between Weiss and the stalking Gold, who was easily avoiding yet another attack by Sage. Finally, his gaze rested upon his brother, who was shaking his head firmly. "Don't."

"But-"

"No, Fox."

The other Bronze bristled. "Does she even know-"

"Fox!"

"Fine, fine…"

Blake eyed the Bronze next to her warily. She could have sworn the Dragon was pouting.

"You know, don't you," Weiss finally stated flatly, watching her girlfriend finally go on the offensive and pummel her opponent mercilessly. "What it is she won't tell me. This bargain."

Yatsu sighed heavily. "We are almost as close as clutchmates, Yang, Coco, Fox, and myself. So yes, we do know of the bargain, just as we know we are not the ones to tell you of what it entails." He glanced at his brother sharply. "It is for her to explain."

The other Bronze nodded glumly. Weiss continued to watch the fight as it wound down, Yang finally pinning Sage to the ground and receiving his submission.

She remained tight-lipped as the Gold returned to their side, grinning widely. "Well, that went about as expected."

"You mentioned something about accommodations, Yatsu?" the Elven woman inquired sharply without looking in her girlfriend's direction.

"Of course, please follow us," the Bronze replied easily.

The group headed towards the edge of the platform, Yang following behind now somewhat deflated. There they reached a stairwell that led down into the rock, and both of their Bronze guides changed into their Human forms. Yatsu was a massive man, towering over even Yang, with a dark green tunic and brown pants, dark eyes shining with wisdom beneath exotic-looking features. Fox turned out to be dark-skinned and lithe, with burnt-orange hair that matched his own tunic. His eyes, curiously enough, had no pupils, though he seemed to be able to see just fine as he led them down and into the Aerie.

Ruby, now in her red-cloaked brunette form, walked by Blake's side, their hands brushing up against each other's. The Cat Faunus glanced aside to see a pair of twinkling silver eyes peering up at her inquiringly. With a soft smile, she allowed the shorter girl to slip her hand into her own.

The group eventually ended up down a long, twisting passageway and into a series of chambers. Yang stepped around them as they paused on the threshold.

"Been a while," the blonde stated softly, her lilac eyes roaming the suite of rooms. They widened as a figure stepped out from one of the smaller rooms.

"Hello, Yang," the raven-haired woman greeted her levelly. "I had heard you had stopped by."

Blake's eyes widened as well as she took in the other woman's appearance. She was dressed in a layered red dress with black accents and feathers, but aside from the color of her hair and her crimson eyes… she was the mirror image of Yang.

"Um, hey… mom," the blonde grinned hesitantly. She gave herself a shake. "Raven, this is Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, and… Ruby. Guys, this is Ravanaerayuros, my mother."

"A pleasure," the other woman stated without much inflection. "So, you finally found her, hm?"

"I did, yeah."

The group stood around rather uncomfortably under Raven's intense scrutiny.

"Why did you return to the Aerie?" the raven-haired woman asked with only a hint of curiosity.

"Oh! Well, me an' Ruby… Well, Ruby, mostly… Anyways, we're gathering help to defend Vale."

"Defend from whom?"

"Ember's mate."

Raven's stare seemed to intensify, impossible as that seemed. "I see."

"We could use all the help we could get," Ruby interjected weakly, obviously a bit intimidated by her sister's mother. "W- Would you consider-"

"No." The abrupt answer made them all jump slightly. Blake noted idly that both Fox and Yatsu had already slunk back into the hallway they'd just traversed, wisely retreating from the family reunion.

"Why not?" Yang asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Raven turned to regard her daughter dispassionately. "I am not one to help out in the world, you should know this. Additionally, I gave you the skills you need to survive, you do not require my assistance."

The blonde nodded slightly, but before she could respond, Raven was already walking past them.

"My presence is required by the Bronze Matriarch, and then I need to travel once more." She paused, giving Yang an unreadable look. "I am pleased I could see you again." With that, she left.

"Wow," Blake murmured incredulously.

"Yeah," Ruby agreed, taking a step closer towards the Cat Faunus and shivering slightly.

"Pretty callous, if you ask me," the Elven Mage snorted.

"Well, yeah," Yang shrugged with a sigh as she stepped forward. "Qrow got most of the charm in that clutch. She's not a bad Dragon, she's just… aloof." The blonde sighed once more. "C'mon, I'll show you guys where we're bunking tonight."

* * *

Ruby stalked down the passageway, her enhanced vision allowing her to place one foot carefully in front of the other without making a sound. The environment was unfamiliar, but she'd grown up hunting out in the woods. She might not have the stealth of her Faunus Rogue… friend, but she could be pretty damn sneaky when she tried.

"I can hear you, Ruby."

The brunette sighed as she stood up from her crouch. "Goblin-fucker," she cursed bitterly.

Her sister laughed, the sound muted and lacking her usual boisterousness. "I can honestly say I've never done that, no."

"Well, color me surprised," the brunette grumbled, walking the rest of the way down the tunnel to join Yang at the ledge at the end. The view was rather spectacular, overlooking the entirety of the inside of the Aerie with the occasional torch twinkling like fireflies along the edge. "So, did you used to come out here much when you were a hatchling?"

"Yeah," the blonde sighed. She had one leg dangling over the edge while the other was pulled up against her chest with her arms wrapped around it loosely. Her chin pensively rested upon her knee.

Ruby nodded as she plopped herself down next to her sister, booted feet swinging out, back and forth. They sat together there for some time, just staring out and into the dark.

"It's a nice place to brood," Ruby finally commented.

"I don't… brood," Yang stated flatly.

"Yeah, you're kinda doing all sorts of brooding right now."

"Like you're one to talk."

"Hey, I got a lot on my mind."

Yang turned her head, grinning suddenly. "Like a certain kitty cat?"

The brunette's face flushed as she looked down in embarrassment. "Maybe," she squeaked.

"Mmhmm. So, when are you gonna tell her how you feel about her?"

Ruby shrugged uncomfortably. "I think she already knows."

"You think?"

"Well… Yeah. I mean, no, I _know_ she knows. At least, she should."

"Oh, you are so precious," Yang chortled quietly. "Ruby, you gotta actually _talk_ to her about it at some point, y'know?"

"I know," she replied softly. "Maybe when things aren't so crazy…"

"Might be too late, then."

"Might be," the brunette agreed. She glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye. "So when are you gonna tell me what this bargain was all about, huh?"

Yang's cheerful face immediately closed off as she returned to her ruminations.

Ruby waited for the span of a full minute before speaking up again. "I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"You can't help anyway," the Gold whispered.

"Yang…" She sighed morosely. "Weiss is my best friend. She's hurting, you're hurting, and that hurts me."

"Nothing to be done about it."

"Well, I don't know that for certain because you won't tell me."

The blonde closed her eyes wearily, shifting so that her forehead was now resting on her knee. "You can't tell Weiss," she finally murmured.

"Yang…"

"No, Ruby, I'm not gonna tell you unless you promise me. Give me your word."

Grumbling under her breath about gods-be-damned stubborn Golds, Ruby shifted her position around so that her back was against the rocky wall, legs outstretched before her and crossed at the ankle. "Fine. You have my word, I will not tell Weiss what the bargain is."

Yang nodded before tipping her head back and cracking her eyes open again. They were now a swirling crimson, but so full of despair that it made the brunette's breath hitch.

"I am being forced to choose a mate to continue my bloodline," she finally whispered. "I'm the last, and it runs strongly in my blood as a Gold. So… there you go."

"But…" Ruby blinked her eyes uncertainly. "You don't have a choice?"

"Well, sure, I have a choice." Yang laughed bitterly. "And I need to make it the next time I return to the Gold Dragon Matriarch. Which, I'm guessing, will be as soon as I finish helping you."

They were silent for a few minutes as Ruby digested the news.

"So, who is it?" the brunette inquired softly.

"No idea yet," Yang stated with a resigned shrug. "If I don't pick one, the Matriarch will pick one out for me." She twisted her face up into a scowl. "And the worst part isn't even that I only ever liked males for rutting, and not even that most of the Golds I know aren't ones I want to spend a lifetime with… Nope, you know what's the worst?"

"What?" Ruby breathed.

Tears were trickling down Yang's cheeks as she stared out into the night. "I've never wanted hatchlings," she finally whispered. "I know, deep down, that my mother cared for me in the best way that she could… but it wasn't enough, not nearly enough as the Bronze mothers I knew like Coco's… and I'm terrified that I'd end up being the same sort of mother, cold and callous and resenting my clutch when all I ever wanted was to explore the face of Remnant." She shrugged once more. "But it's the Dragon way, I have to continue my bloodline. It's my duty to the Ancestors."

The blonde turned her head to give her sister a watery smile. "It will happen to you, too, eventually, being of the Matriarch's line. So just… Just don't get too attached to Blake, okay? Not in the long run, just enjoy what you have together now."

Ruby clutched at her cloak anxiously. "But what about Weiss?"

Yang just gave her a sad smile as she clambered to her feet. "What about her?" she murmured brokenly. With that, she took a step forward and dropped off the ledge. From below, a Gold Dragon emerged, flapping her great wings in a slow, steady beat as she gained altitude.

The brunette watched her sister fly out into the night sky. She sniffled, wiping her cheeks on the edge of her cloak.

"It's not fair," Ruby whispered disconsolately.

She stayed out there for some time, hoping for inspiration, but none had revealed itself by the time the sun crested the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, just about everyone (except poor Weiss) had figured out what the deal with Yang was. And that wraps up Volume 3, with the next chapter starting Volume 4! Brace yourselves…


	29. Requiem

**Volume 4**

**Mountains West of Vale**

"The stalwart heart is a feast to dastardly dragons."  
~ Rat Queens

Yang banked hard, avoiding the ball of fire that streaked past her wings, close enough to almost make the membrane shrivel up from the heat.

"Hang on!" she bellowed, her great wings flapping madly as she tried to correct her course.

Unfortunately, the Dragon on her tail had no problem keeping up with her. The Red must have been several centuries old, crafty and cunning enough to anticipate the maneuver. The next blast of fiery breath almost caught her straight-on were it not for her quick reflexes.

Unfortunately, said reflexes were not used to having a passenger clinging to her back.

She felt it when it happened, the grasp of the Elven Mage slipping from her mane as she was jerked backwards, her small form tumbling from the perch behind her neck to spiral away, plunging towards the rocky ground far below.

"No!" she screamed, her voice full of primal rage and fear. "Weiss!"

**A Short While Before**

The Gold flapped her wings lackadaisically, cruising along on the fortuitous wind stream they'd picked up over the water. Ahead were the mountains bordering Vale, thrusting out into the ocean like an accusing finger. The last natural barrier to reuniting with their friends.

She sighed, her lungs expelling the air like great bellows in a forge. It had been a rather long, quiet flight. The knowledge weighed heavily upon her, of her fate, her future. What was waiting for her back with the rest of her race.

Yang was overjoyed, truly, that she'd finally been reunited with her sister, even if it spelled the completion of the bargain she'd made. And it hadn't seemed all that onerous at first, the path that had been set out for her.

Until, of course, she'd had her heart stolen more surely than a shiny bauble left unattended before a certain Cat Faunus Rogue.

Pale blue orbs filled her mind's eye more often than not as she ruminated on how different it felt. Before, certainly, she'd had her fair share of fun. Didn't matter the gender or race, so long as they had a good time together, they parted amicably enough in the end. Now, though?

Now she couldn't imagine life without the strangely alluring platinum-haired Elf.

As her unfocused gaze swept across the rocky landscape ahead, her mind drifted back to that last fateful day…

" _This is your duty," the Gold Dragon Matriarch intoned softly. "To your race and your family."_

" _I know, I just…" Yang clenched her claws in frustration. "I was hoping… to search…"_

" _For Ruthralynnaerias?" she finished for her knowingly._

" _Yes, I know she's out there still," the younger Gold finally blurted out. "I've spoken with the Silver Matriarch, I have an idea of where she and… and Taiyenniellazherian lived in the Wilds…"_

_The Matriarch sighed heavily. "Sometimes, Yanzhiellewenayuros, you take after your mother far too strongly… Very well."_

" _Um… pardon?" Her heart leapt in her chest, almost daring to hope that she might be able to return out into the world of Remnant._

" _Yes. I will allow you this as your Life Quest, to seek out your missing sister. But." Glowing green eyes the color of the deep ocean bore into her. "Before I will allow it, you must swear to return after. Either choose a mate or I will choose one for you."_

_She swallowed nervously. The very thought of mating with a Dragon, producing and caring for hatchlings, was so abhorrent to her it made her scales crawl._

_But if this was what it took, so be it. Not like it would be the end of the world, she'd live a long enough lifespan that she would be able to return out again eventually, perhaps another century or two._

_The patience of Dragonkind did not come easily to the nomadic Gold, but she could surely learn._

_Yang bowed her head, snout brushing against the stone floor of the cavern._

" _I so do swear it."_

The Gold sighed once more in tune with the beating of her wings. Everything had changed, now. Without Weiss, the thought of those centuries ahead of her were simply more than she could bear.

Her musings were broken by a shout from the side.

"Yang!" her sister bellowed urgently. "We have company!"

She craned her head, searching for the danger until she felt a small hand hammer at the side of her neck.

"To the south!" Weiss cried out.

Sure enough, skimming low across the foothills on this side of the mountain range was a flight of Dragons. Three Browns led by a large Red that matched her in size, and they were heading to intercept them.

Yang turned her head to regard the Silver who pulled alongside. "Fight or run?" she asked, willing to let her sister decide their course of action.

The reply came immediately. "Fight. We can't have them hounding us."

"Right," she grinned in reply. With a wink of her enormous eye, she put more energy into her wings as she turned to face their opponents head-on. "You ready for this, princess?" she called back gaily, all of her earlier misgivings and despondency gone now that she was faced with action once more.

"Ready," Weiss shouted tersely. "Fire or ice?"

"Fire for the Browns, ice for the Red," she returned.

And then they were flashing by the enemy at breakneck speed.

Two Browns were down in the rapid exchange, one with both deep claw marks marring its side and a scorched stump where its right wing used to be, while the other blinded in both eyes by arrows while it trailed smoke from Ruby's flame breath.

For her part, Yang grimaced from the painful line that one of the Red's talons had left in her side. The gash wasn't particularly deep, but it did leave that flank vulnerable to more attacks.

She wheeled around, searching for the enemy.

 _There, I've got you now, Red,_ she grinned.

Her wings beat a furious staccato as she built her speed up to catch the other Dragon, who was apparently stalking her sister. The Silver was fully engaged with the other Brown who was proving to be a bit more resilient than his brethren.

With a challenging bellow, the Gold dove.

A lance of ice preceded her attack, but the Red noticed the impending assault quickly enough to pull up at the last second. Weiss' spell just barely missed, and Yang's charge was avoided as well.

And then the Red began his pursuit of the white and golden pair.

"This Dragon is very persistent!" Weiss cried out.

The Gold could tell that the Elven Mage was twisted in her seat, flinging spells behind her in an attempt to bring their pursuer down. "Yeah, he's good," she chuckled. "But I've still got some tricks left."

And though she tried them all, she got absolutely nowhere. No matter how much she juked or dodged, she simply couldn't throw off the angry Red who was intent on sending them to their crispy doom.

She received more than her few shares of close calls, avoiding the blasts of fire. Weiss had stilled behind her, panting lightly as she tried to regain her aura for more spells.

"I know I hit him a few times!" the Mage yelled weakly. "But he seemed to just shrug them off!"

The hot blood flowing through the Gold's veins seemed to freeze at that statement. _Ancients preserve us, he must be pretty damn old to be able to resist her spells…_

And then, as she tried for perhaps the dozenth time to reverse the situation and get behind the Red, disaster struck.

"No!" she screamed, watching the small, terrified girl plunge towards the rocky ground below. "Weiss!"

But then a flash of gleaming argent shot past, angling down. Barely visible was the spot of black against her back as Blake clung tenaciously to the speeding Silver. Yang's heart almost lurched into her throat at how low they went, but then they were ascending once more, a white-clad figure cradled in the arms of the Faunus woman.

"Right, that's it," she growled angrily. "Hatchling gloves are off."

Her wings unfurled to the sides, flattened. Her massive form swung around to face behind her until she spread them out again, halting the Dragon in midair.

The Red's eyes widened almost comically as he barreled in. Yang had the time for one more thought before they collided with a thunderous sound.

_Ha, finally managed to surprise the bastard._

The screeches and roars from the combative Dragons echoed off of the distant mountains. Claws scrabbled for purchase, talons digging deep, as the two snapped at each other furiously. The embattled pair began to fall as neither one wanted their more fragile wings to be exposed.

Finally, Yang managed to use her strength to her advantage. The Red was certainly strong but not quite so much as her. And it gave her enough leverage to separate, just a bit.

The Gold's massive maw darted forward to latch onto the Red's sinuous neck. He roared in indignation, struggling, but long before they hit the ground his motions weakened and slowed.

Finally, Yang let go, flinging the other Dragon away from her as she twisted and threw her wings out to stabilize her flight. She soared just meters above the ground while, behind her, a great geyser of dust and debris billowed up from her opponent's impact.

She winced as her wings beat, the gashes and cuts along her flanks searing painfully with every use of her muscles.

Ruby drifted alongside her, shooting her a concerned glance that was mirrored by both amber and pale blue eyes.

"I'm alright," she assured them, though she was unable to keep the pain from lacing her words. "Let's just get over the mountains, yeah?"

"Alright," the Silver agreed. "We need to set down after that, tend to our wounds. And… I think we should proceed on in our human forms. Be less conspicuous."

"Sounds good," Yang gritted out.

As they gained altitude to clear the mountains, the Gold reflected that it would take them a bit longer this way, but at least they weren't too far from the border of Vale. She hoped the others were faring better than they were right now.

Yang glanced aside once more. While both Ruby and Blake were focused ahead and on the skies around them, Weiss, clinging to the Cat Faunus' back with Blake's tail wrapped around her waist, was staring at her intently.

"I love you," the Elf mouthed.

Yang was glad she was in her Draconic form as she wasn't nearly as expressive as when she looked like a human. She merely nodded, giving the other woman what she hoped to be a reassuring wink.

_I love you too, princess._

**Border of the Kingdom of Vale**

The small party headed cautiously through the woods, pointed like an arrow towards the town of Vale proper. Pyrrha was out in front this time, her emerald gaze roaming for threats.

"You know what would be awesome?" she heard Nora pipe up from behind her.

"Do tell," the redhead's squire returned humorously.

"Flying boats."

"Um…" Jeanne seemed to be at a loss as to how to respond to that. "Pardon?"

"Y'know, like boats that float on the water, but up in the air."

"Why… Why would you even _want_ that?"

Pyrrha chuckled to herself. The blonde was likely reminiscing upon her very brief time spent atop a certain Gold Dragon. It was enough of an experience to convince the queasy woman never to make such an attempt again.

"Because, silly!" Nora laughed. "Can you imagine, soaring up in the clouds like the Dragons do?"

"Yes," Jeanne muttered darkly in return. "I can imagine all too well."

The orange-haired warrior continued, ignoring her friend's retort. "And it'd be an awesome way to travel between kingdoms, across the water, everywhere, really!"

"How would they stay in the air, Nora?" the soft-spoken half-Elf interjected curiously.

"Duh," his girlfriend giggled. "Magic, of course!"

"I must say, I've never heard of a levitation spell powerful enough to lift an entire boat," Pyrrha spoke up over her shoulder. "Perhaps a small rowboat, at best."

"Well, then… a whole _bunch_ of levitation spells!" Nora stated proudly, unwilling to let her dream be denied by something as mundane as logic.

They'd reached a clearing by that point, grassy and level. The mostly clear sky allowed the sunlight to warm them a bit. The trip so far had been getting colder as each hour progressed. In fact, Pyrrha wouldn't be surprised if they experienced an unseasonably early snowfall before they reached their destination.

The armored woman paused, searching the surrounding treeline for any threat, but could find none. Deciding that it was too wide to circle, she shrugged and stepped forward, grip tightening on her shield as a precaution.

It was well-warranted as, about a third of the way across, shapes began to stir in the shadows before them. They quickly resolved into the forms of leather-clad Orcs, heavily armed and encircling most of the clearing.

"Damn!" she snarled, drawing her sword. "Ambush! Ren, anyone behind us?"

"No, it's still clear, we could retreat back…"

At first, a few Orcs began to surge forward, bellowing their guttural war cries, but soon they were joined by an entire horde. More forms, heavier armored, were beginning to approach the treeline now.

"We can't take all of them," Jeanne cautioned.

"No, I agree," Pyrrha stated, taking a step back. "Let's find more favorable-"

She was interrupted by a furious scream from next to her as Nora surged forward to meet the charge. "GRAAAHHH!"

"Oum's bloody ballsack," her blonde squire groaned.

"Come on!" Pyrrha shouted, sprinting off after the pink-armored woman. Ren was close on her heels after offering an admonishment of "Language!" to Jeanne, and the latter was not far behind.

With a thunderous _crash_ , the battle was joined. It was a chaotic, swirling mess, and the only thing the four adventurers had going for them was that they could strike out recklessly without much fear of injuring a friend.

Pyrrha herself was soon cut off from the others. Looming walls of green-skinned Orcs towered over her, seeking her death, but she was not one of the premiere swordswomen in all of Remnant for nothing.

The armored Knight lunged and dove about with abandon, dismembering and eviscerating as she went. Fortunately, these advance attackers were lightly-armored and fell to her whirling offense with ease.

It didn't take long, however, for the more powerful of the horde to show up on the field of battle.

She'd just taken care of the last of the leather-clad Orcs when the redheaded Knight turned to check on the treeline ahead. Much to her surprise, another Orc stood within striking distance, a massive iron-banded club soaring towards her midsection.

She whipped her shield around to take the impact, but the attack still lifted her up half of a foot into the air before unceremoniously depositing her onto the ground.

Pyrrha lay on her back, stunned by the blow. A stray cloud drifted across the sun, blotting out the light and swallowing her in shadow. It sent a quick shiver down the Knight's spine, as though a premonition of doom had just slipped its icy tendrils across her skin.

_Is this how I die, then?_

She weakly twisted her shield back around to try and block the follow-up blow… but it never came.

Instead, she was showered by a fountain of gore as the Orc's head imploded upon impact with a particularly large warhammer.

"Can't lay around, now!" Nora laughed merrily, twirling her enormous hammer with ease as she started forward. "Plenty more where that…"

The orange-haired girl trailed off in confusion, her gaze dropping down to her chest. Pyrrha looked on in horror while, as if in slow motion, the tip of a spear protruded from in between Nora's breasts.

The hammer-wielder coughed once, a bright spray of blood coating her pink-dyed armor before she was lifted off of her feet. She let out a hoarse wail of anguish, her beloved hammer _Magnhild_ dropping from limp fingers, as she was flung backwards by a towering, snarling Orc.

Pyrrha surged to her feet with a fierce yell. "NORA!"

The redheaded Knight whirled in, neatly eviscerating the spear-wielding Orc and slamming her shield into the face of another attempting to bar her passage. Her attacker's nose gave way with a _crunch_ , staggering him enough for her to slice through his throat and leave him gurgling out his last breaths.

It only took another pair of long strides for her to reach where Nora had fallen.

She couldn't tell if the orange-haired girl was still breathing from where she lay on her back but the amount of blood coating her torso and the ground beneath her was staggering.

"Ren!" Pyrrha screamed desperately. "Ren, where are you?"

She stood over Nora, swinging her sword and shield at any who dared approach. Pyrrha's lips were peeled back in a defiant snarl as she batted away spears and swords, deflected stray arrows, and hewed limbs from those incautious enough to face her wrath.

It was a near thing when Ren did run up, as she almost ended him right there on reflex.

The Cleric's face was pale as he crouched over Nora's body, his hands moving over her torso and murmuring prayers. Jeanne ran up next, skidding to a halt as she gazed upon the tableau.

"Oum's blood," the blonde gasped breathlessly.

It was a testament to the seriousness of the situation that Ren didn't even spare a second for a mild rebuke.

Pyrrha and Jeanne stood to either side, vigilant against more attacks, but the Orcs seemed to have pulled back a bit to regroup.

"Ren?" the redhead asked warily. "We're running out of time, how is she? Can we move her?"

She was startled by the hand that came to rest heavily upon her shoulder.

"No," Ren said simply, his voice hollow.

"Oh, sweet mother of Oum," Jeanne whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"You have to go," Ren continued, turning Pyrrha so that he could look her in the eye. "Get the Orb to Vale. I will deal with these creatures."

"Ren, no… please don't, don't throw your life away…" Pyrrha implored, her eyes watering. "Come with us, please…"

The raven-haired half-Elf glanced down at the corpse at his feet before looking up once more. "My path with you ends here," he murmured with a small, sad smile. "Go now, please."

Pyrrha could only nod, seeing that further argument would fall upon deaf ears. She grabbed hold of her friend and pulled him into a tight hug, blinking back the tears that threatened to escape.

She didn't have the time to grieve, that would come later. For now, her duty as a Knight demanded that she push on.

Pyrrha was immediately replaced by her blonde companion, who was less reserved in her sobs, but she released him just as quickly.

"I'll never forget you," Jeanne whispered. "You or Nora."

"Then we shall live forever in your hearts," Ren murmured back. "Now, go with Oum's blessings and all the speed of your patron, Artemis. Be safe."

With that, the green-coated man turned to face the woodline once more. Rumblings and cries from within indicated that the attack would renew shortly. Ren held his staff firmly in one hand with it planted in the ground as if he were an immovable force.

Pyrrha only glanced back once over her shoulder as she and Jeanne raced forth. Behind them, Ren's form was now glowing an otherworldly white. Illuminated in front of him were ranks upon ranks of Orc warriors, screaming and frothing at the mouth as they charged him.

* * *

The majority of Ren's mind was focused on the incantations to Oum that he was weaving, imploring Him for His divine assistance. While the prayers fell easily from his lips as he stood facing the charging horde, a smaller part of him offered up an altogether different prayer.

 _Forgive me, Oum, for what I am about to do,_ he begged solemnly. _I cannot live without her by my side. You have known this for as long as I myself have._

_I do this for her. I do this for You. And I do this for my friends so that they might succeed in their quest and save many more lives._

As if in answer, he felt the surge of divine power fill him up, almost to the point of bursting. The white glow surrounding him was blinding as his spells completed, shrouding him in a holy armor.

"Come, then," he quietly greeted his foes as they raced in towards the half-Elf Cleric. "Let us finish this."

He met the first set of Orcs head-on, allowing them to get within striking range before he sprang into action. Each blow from his staff was akin to the impact from an Ogre's warclub, rending body parts asunder and sending the enemy flying from him, broken and defeated. More and more Orcs pressed in as he spun and struck out. He couldn't avoid all of the blows, and each one that his ethereal armor absorbed dimmed it slightly.

Ren felt the drain on his enhanced aura with every attack made and received, but right now he was fighting for time. Giving his beloved friends the chance to get away cleanly.

And while the holy light around him steadily dimmed, it did not ease the serene expression upon his face. He was at peace with his decision, and he would make them all pay dearly for his life and for that of the only woman he'd ever loved.

* * *

Pyrrha closed her ears to the sounds of battle, to the screams of the dying, as she ran.

She tried very hard not to listen to Ren's own death cry, just at the edge of hearing.

But both Pyrrha and Jeanne let their tears run down unchecked. It was up to them now, just the two of them to return the Orb to its rightful owner, through a land filled with enemies seeking their death.

Perhaps there was time now to grieve while they ran. Who knew when they might have the time to do so again?

* * *

 

Ren blinked his eyes open slowly. A cool breeze ruffled his long raven hair, sending the scent of wildflowers across his prone form. The grass underneath him was warm and soft, cradling his body comfortably as he gazed up and into the blue, cloudless sky.

His view was suddenly blocked by a round face framed by bright orange hair. Turquoise eyes twinkled merrily.

"What am I gonna do with you?" Nora murmured with a fond smile. "Were you really all that anxious to follow me?"

Ren smiled back easily. "You know I'd follow you anywhere, love."

"And I you, Renny." The pinkette's grin widened as she leaned over, finger extended to lightly rest against the tip of his nose.

"Boop."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me.
> 
> One last note, the 'premonition of doom' line was foretold back in chapter 6, right before the group met Nora and Ren.


	30. Death of a Kingdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING for torture scene

**Volume 4**

**Kingdom of Vale  
** **Western Reaches**

"Humans have reason to hate us dragons. If one dragon turns against humankind, he is a great and terrible foe."  
~ Kathryn Fogleman, Tales of the Wovlen: The Dragon Son

Jeanne paused, wearily leaning a hand against the nearest tree trunk. Her legs felt like jelly, barely able to keep her armored form upright. She knew it must be far worse for her redheaded Knight up ahead, who had also come to a stop at another tree just in front of her. Pyrrha's ornate armor was far heavier, though one would think the bulk of it made little difference if they were to see how magnificently she moved in combat.

Right now, though, her Knight's shoulder's sagged under a burden both physical and emotional.

The blonde's hand snuck down to the pouch at her side, checking for perhaps the thousandth time to make sure the fist-sized Orb was still secure. They'd been running almost constantly for the past several hours, taking small walking breaks before starting into a sprint once more. Both of the Mistralian women were aptly conditioned for such an endeavor, but even so, there was a limit to the Human endurance.

"We should rest," Pyrrha murmured, turning so that her back was against the tree.

"Yes, My Lady," she agreed breathlessly.

Only after she'd received her squire's acceptance did the redhead finally allow herself to sag to the forest floor and lean her head back against the tree trunk, eyes closed as she continued to gulp down air.

Jeanne slid to the ground as well, facing the other woman, but she couldn't allow her eyes to rest. Instead, she observed the other woman in profile, watching the trails of sweat as they ran through the dust and dirt on her face.

She'd never seen her look so beautiful, so magnificent.

Eventually, both of their breathing slowed enough for them to be truly resting, though neither woman made any attempt to move. And all the while Jeanne's mind was whirring with conflicted emotions, the loss of first Coco, then Nora and Ren, weighing heavily upon her. But none so much as what she felt when she looked at the one person in her life she'd follow anywhere, do anything for, give her life up for without even a second thought.

"I can't keep doing this," she whispered blankly.

Pyrrha stirred at that, turning her head and opening her eyes to gaze at the blonde with her brilliant emerald green orbs. "What was that, Jeanne?"

"My Lady…" She swallowed thickly. "Pyrrha. I can't… I'm finding myself unable to repress what I feel any longer."

At that, any lingering traces of lethargy were gone like a startled flock of birds. Pyrrha sat up straight, her eyes shining with a multitude of emotions of her own. "Jeanne…" she breathed anxiously.

"I don't care anymore, Pyrrha," she continued earnestly, clambering up and onto her haunches. "The Order be damned, I just cannot bring myself to care anymore. I can't deny the feelings I have for you, and if… If we fail in this task… I just…"

"You cannot think like that," the redhead interjected through what seemed to be numb lips. "Ruby and the others…"

"We don't know if they will ever find us, or if they have survived… Nor Lady Nebula and the other Valesian Knights of Artemis… We might be it, Pyrrha, just the two of us…" Jeanne took a deep breath, screwing up her courage. "I love you, Pyrrha. I know we've danced around this in the past, but it's there, I can't just bury it anymore."

"And… And I…" Pyrrha swallowed, the rivulets of sweat now joined by tears. "And I love you, Jeanne, but…"

"I know, I understand, but right here and now, out in this forest…" Jeanne hadn't realized she'd started to crawl forward until she was hovering over the figure of her Knight, the other woman looking more like prey frozen in place than the warrior she was. "What does it all matter?"

"We have to stay true to our ideals," the redhead whispered weakly, eyes flickering back and forth between Jeanne's own sapphire blue ones.

"Ideals be consigned to the Abyss," Jeanne whispered back. "I'd give it all up for you."

"Jeanne…"

She leaned closer, hesitantly, but then noted that Pyrrha was doing the same. The blonde felt her pulse hammering in her ears, threatening to overwhelm her, but it wasn't quite loud enough to cover the sharp _snap_ of a twig from somewhere nearby.

Both warriors sprang apart and to their feet, the tiredness in their bodies washed away by a tide of adrenaline. Shields and swords were both in their hands, Jeanne clutching at her new weapon determinedly as her eyes scanned the forest, awaiting her Lady's orders to fight or flee.

"It's stronger this way!" a feminine voice called out, one Jeanne recognized and knew well.

"Ruby?" she murmured incredulously.

Just then, a dark figure slipped noiselessly from the shadows next to them. Clad in her usual garb of purple tunic with black leather pants and boots, Blake graced them with a wide and relieved smirk, her tail swishing playfully behind her. "Found them," she called out behind her.

"See, I told you, Yang!" the brunette laughed as she came into view, several yards back. "Find the Orb, find our companions!"

"Yeah, yeah, godsdamned thing still makes my scales crawl," her blonde sister grumbled.

The pair of Mistralians just stared at the approaching party in shock, open-mouthed, as they sheathed their weapons. And then Jeanne noted that, along with a certain platinum-haired Elf trailing behind Yang, there was another pair of familiar figures.

"Fancy meeting you here, Lady Nikos," Nebula greeted them tiredly.

"Lady Violette, Lady Gayl," Pyrrha called out, her eyes picking out each as she wordlessly clasped forearms with Blake in greeting. "Where are…?"

Dew sighed and shook her head, tangled dark blonde tresses swaying dejectedly to match her dark tone. "We lost the both of them to the constant fighting since we saw you last."

"I… I am sorry to hear that," the redhead managed, choking back her emotions.

"Alright, so at least we found you guys," Yang sighed heavily, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't sense Coco nearby, did you lose her somehow?"

"And where are Nora and Ren?" Ruby asked worriedly.

Jeanne gazed at the brunette sorrowfully, her throat closed off. She could only shake her head, tears spilling down her cheeks anew as she found herself unable to let her friend know of what had transpired since they last saw one another.

Pyrrha, of course, was able to draw the tattered remains of her dignity around her like a shroud and cleared her throat, her gaze focused on a point somewhere past Yang's head. "Coco… she fell to a pair of Onyx Dragons, but not before slaying one herself… the other was taken down by Nora…"

Yang stumbled backwards at the news, feeling behind her sightlessly. Weiss was there in an instant, wrapping her small arms around the Gold and holding her reassuringly.

"While Nora… and Ren…" A sob broke past Pyrrha's composure, but she managed to recover once more. "Nora fell to an Orc horde, and… and Ren stayed behind to delay them, for us… and b- because he c- couldn't… couldn't…"

That was all she could manage as she closed her eyes, bowing her head. The Cat Faunus next to her, tears of her own filling her amber orbs, stepped in to hold her close.

Jeanne started slightly as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, Ruby pulling her into a tight hug. The blonde couldn't contain it anymore, sobbing loudly into the brunette's shoulder as they all gave what comfort they could to each other.

**Vale Keep**

The agonized screams that rang out through the dungeons beneath the castle would never be heard in the light of day. They were so far underground, so buried behind doors and winding passageways, that even the denizens of the keep itself were blissfully unaware of the chamber that had been recently outfitted for one very particular purpose.

A wooden table had been placed almost vertically up against the wall but at a bit of an angle. Currently strapped to the surface, spread-eagled and naked, was a miserable, sobbing form. Her face was obscured by ratty strands of brick-red hair, congealed blood and dirt almost masking the once-lustrous color. Her body was crisscrossed with scars, some pinker than others, but the vast majority of them were recently given.

The victim's head twitched slightly at the sound of each heel striking the floor as her tormentor paced around the circumference of the stone room.

"So, let us summarize what we've discussed today, shall we?" Cinder continued her pacing, a wide and beatific smile on her face. "So far I have retrieved from you everything I'd need, really, to destroy your precious Order several times over."

She stopped at the side of the table, amber eyes eagerly roaming across her handiwork. The hooked blade on her hand came up to caress the side of the restrained woman, causing the both of them to shudder slightly, though for different reasons. With a smirk, Cinder slipped the point of the blade into a spot just above the hip and began to work her way upwards.

Another hoarse scream was torn from the throat of the abused woman, but it ended soon thereafter when the blade was retracted. Cinder reached over to the nearby tray to retrieve one of the numerous Healing Potions she'd stockpiled, unstopping the vial to sprinkle some over the wound. The gash soon closed up, leaving a bright pink scar in its place.

"But so far this has all been just a prelude," Cinder continued gleefully as she placed her tools back upon the cart. "All of this was already known to me, but reinforces my belief that you want to please me, you want to tell me everything you know." She turned once again to grip the matted hair, hauling back and exposing the despondent face before her. "And you do, don't you?"

"Y- Yes…" Octavia gasped weakly.

"Good girl." She let the Valesian Knight's head flop back down inelegantly.

"Have you ever heard," the raven-haired woman purred throatily as she resumed her pacing the room, "of the warrior-poet Shan Yu?" She paused, seemingly waiting for a response from the panting redheaded woman that was not forthcoming. "No? Well, allow me to educate you, dear girl…"

Cinder walked by the nearby tray, this time picking up a slender surgeon's scalpel as she passed. "You see, this brilliant Human wrote volumes on war, torture, the limits of humanoid endurance. Quite the work of art, I assure you."

She stopped in front of the girl, grabbing her by the top of her hair once again and pulling her up from where she sagged in her restraints. "Almost brilliant enough to be written by one of my own kind," she mused. Octavia's eyelids fluttered weakly, making her snort in derision before letting the girl's head flop back down again.

"He said, and now this is only a loose translation, I assure you…" Cinder resumed her pacing, the clacking of her heels rhythmic and steady. "Live with a man for forty years. Share his house, his meals. Speak with him on every subject. Then tie him up and hold him over the volcano's edge. And on that day… That day, you will finally meet the man."

Cinder stopped at the foot of the table, regarding her victim consideringly. "I'd say it's now time to meet the real Octavia Ember." Her face contorted into a sneer as the name slipped from her lips. "It's an insult to my mate that such a puny human, filled with squishy bits, bears his illustrious name."

With a snarl, she slashed outwards across the belly of the redhead before her. The skin parted easily, revealing the minuscule layer of white fatty tissue before the wound welled up with bright blood. Octavia jerked slightly and gasped at the sudden pain.

Cinder eagerly watched the blood as it ran down her victim's body in rivulets, coating her lower torso. Before the blood loss could become too severe, she applied the healing draught once more.

"I want to know," she purred into Octavia's ear, "about the Dragons."

"D- Dragons?"

"The ones who accompanied you from Vale, you pathetic little whelp."

The redhead nodded shakily, her head barely moving. "T- Two of t- them, a G- Gold and a- a- a-"

"Yes, a Gold and a Silver," Cinder completed for her impatiently. "Names, describe them, you fool!"

"Y- Yang, b- blond huh... huh… hair… l- lilac eyes..."

"Yes, I expected that one," the raven-haired woman dismissed. "As great a thorn in my side as that pest is, I want to know about the other. Who is she? Who is the Silver?"

"Ruh… Ruby… brunette… and with… s- s-" Octavia paused, sucking in a rattling breath. "Silver eyes…"

"What?" Cinder's incredulous retort made the redhead flinch away from her. Crimson-tipped nails dug into her skin as she gripped her jaw, turning her face towards her own. "Did you say _silver_ eyes?"

"Y- Yes," the redhead gasped out painfully.

With a growl, Cinder dropped her head and resumed her pacing, this time at a quicker tempo. The bloody scalpel was flung to the tray with a resounding _clang_.

"Ancients be damned," she hissed. "Silver eyes… I should have gotten a better description from Emerald, pathetic as she was… Nor did I see the eyes while she was in the castle… But it must be her, it must be a hatchling of that damnable murdering Silver…"

She paused in her walk, hands clenched furiously at her sides. "Summer," she snarled, the word like a vile curse as it left her lips.

Cinder smiled, then, ever so slightly. "Well, at least I know the endgame, now," she mused. "They'll be coming back here with the Orb to oppose me."

She strode over to the single door, flinging it open. Her lieutenant, a towering man clad in a sleeveless white tunic and dark trousers, jerked to attention.

"Send out the summons," she ordered curtly. "I finally have this kingdom in my hands, ready to spread the flames across all of Remnant and wipe out these pesky humanoids once and for all. I will _not_ be thwarted."

"It will be done, My Lady," the Red male bowed. "Should I send all of the missives you've prepared?"

"Yes, yes, all of them," she waved her hand airily. "I want everyone in place as soon as possible."

She closed the door once again, her irate mask slipping until she had a look of coy anticipation as she leaned her back against the door, hands clasped demurely behind her.

"Now, then, my dear. Let's explore that volcano a little more, shall we?"

The choked screams never left the small chamber but carried on for many hours more.

**Kingdom of Vale  
** **Western Reaches**

The eight members of the reduced Fellowship of the Orb sat in silence around the campfire. Ruby had decided that, with as far as they had all traveled, they should simply make camp there for the night. Their pursuers were far behind, and they needed the time to recover, to reconnect…

And to mourn.

The tears had flowed freely among all of the women as Pyrrha and Jeanne recounted what had transpired since they'd parted. The blonde told of their harrowing encounter with the Dracolich and other undead, and her redheaded Knight picked the tale up where they ventured through the fabled halls of Rockhome.

Ruby, in turn, offered up their comparatively tame experiences in both the Hold and the Aerie, as well as what support she'd been able to garner so far, though when such reinforcements might show up was unclear still.

When Nebula took over with her small group's exploits, however, the mood became even grimmer.

"The entire Kingdom has fallen into disarray," the indigo-haired Elven Knight related. "While you were gone, we tried to do what we could from the countryside, but were unable to reach Vale itself. Lady Gayl and I had decided to head towards Vacuo for help when we finally ran into you all."

"How did this all devolve so quickly?" the other Elf in the group questioned.

Dew sucked in a bracing breath. "The King and the Royal Mage were both assassinated," she finally blurted out.

"Gods," Yang breathed, clutching Weiss close to her side.

Nebula nodded wearily. "With all the rest of the leadership in Vale decimated, there was only one council member strong enough to attempt to hold things together. Lady Cinder took over as emergency Regent until the uprisings have been put down, but she hasn't really been doing all that much to fulfill that promise…"

"Most of the so-called _bandits_ roaming the countryside are actually Orcish war bands," the blonde Valesian Knight affirmed. "But we've clashed with some rogue Knights from the Order of the Cardinal who have taken up arms against their own countrymen, leading us to believe there is more to this than what appears to be on the surface…"

"I'd say you were right with that belief," Ruby stated levelly. Her eyes had taken on a familiar swirling stormy grey as she scanned her companions seated around the fire. "I have the strong suspicion that this Lady Cinder is, in fact, Cindeshthyaleramathe, the mate of Ember."

Nebula sat up straight, her olive eyes flashing angrily. "Do you mean to tell me a Red Dragon is now reigning over my kingdom?"

"Worse than that," Pyrrha intoned softly. "She must have orchestrated all of this, all the killings and the uprising and the invasion of the Orc hordes…"

"Can you be sure of this, Ruby?" Blake pressed.

"I am," the Silver replied confidently. "Dragons are nothing if not egotistical…"

"It's true," Yang interjected with a shrug.

"...And all of us derive our Common names from our Draconic ones. Cinder is quite likely the Common derivative of Cindeshthyaleramathe, and a Red like her would think nothing of keeping it as she infiltrated the Valesian Council."

"So, then," Jeanne stated quietly. She stood, hand resting on the hilt of _Crocea Mors_. "We will be bringing her down, correct?"

"That's the plan," Ruby agreed, standing as well with her red cloak swirling about her. "It was always my intent to oppose Cinder, and now that she's shown her hand…"

"...We know where to strike," Weiss added, the Elven Mage coming to her feet determinedly as she gripped the hilt of _Myrtenaster_.

"And take back our Kingdom," Blake added from where she now stood in between Ruby and Pyrrha.

The redhead got to her feet with a resolute sigh. "Though this is not my kingdom, I would be honored to fight by your sides in its reclamation."

"And we would be more than grateful for your help," Dew assured her, stepping up and resting a hand on her fellow Knight's armored shoulder.

Nebula stood up as well, her arms crossed resolutely. "It's not going to be easy," she cautioned. "And will likely become bloody before we are done with it."

"And we'll be ready for whatever she throws in our path," Ruby replied before turning to the only member of the group still sitting. "Yang?" she prompted softly.

The Gold was sitting cross-legged, staring into the fire, her eyes drifting between crimson and lilac as nameless emotions swirled behind them. "We've faced, what, five Dragons now, all sent by Cinder. How many more might she have to throw at us?"

"It doesn't matter," her sister returned with quiet confidence. "We're reunited once again, we have the Orb, and we can handle anything as a group."

"Right." With a sigh, the Gold got to her feet, her gaze unwavering from the campfire. "I'll not let Coco's death be in vain."

"Or Nora's, or Ren's," Weiss added softly, placing a gentle hand on Yang's arm.

"So, we keep moving forward?" Jeanne prompted.

"We do," their brunette leader replied firmly. "And may those in our path tremble in fear before us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was a thing. Many things, actually. Have I perchance gotten everyone to despise Cinder's character as much as I do? The bit regarding Shan Yu is another homage to Firefly (all hail Joss). Also, yes, I'm an incredible tease with Arkos.
> 
> Next up, we'll see just what has been arrayed against our intrepid adventurers. Hang tight, only four chapters left in this tale, but it's going to be a wild ride still...


	31. Mate's Revenge

**Volume 4**

**Kingdom of Vale**

"And for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons."  
~ George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

It had been a long, hard trek so far to get to where they now were.

Farms and villages had been passed, most stripped of resources and burnt to the ground, corpses littering the land with dense black clouds of flies and carrion-eaters covering them. Here and there outposts for the Valesian military burned still, ransacked and with the bodies of the brave soldiers strung up savagely.

The unmistakable mark of Orcs was left wherever the party went, a stain on the once-bright kingdom.

The group of eight women had finally made it almost to the edges of the city itself, with just a few skirmishing groups left in between them and their goal.

Three armored Knights, a squire, an Elven Mage, a Faunus Rogue, and Silver and Gold Dragons in their Human forms paused inside the last village before they set themselves onto the road to the walled capital of Vale.

"How many groups?" Ruby called up towards the still-standing church steeple. It was miraculous enough that the building dedicated to Oum was left intact, but the fact that the tower above offered an unprecedented view of the land in between them and their goal was an opportunity not to be overlooked.

"I see six," Blake called down somewhat anxiously. "Five made up of Orcs, one… A smaller one, seems to be Humans, armored… They have a banner flying, a light brown field with a red bird clasping a snake in its talons."

"Order of Cardinal," Nebula spat out angrily. "Those scum must be fully involved, now, if they're actually flying their colors."

"Are they mounted?" Pyrrha asked loudly.

"Yes," the Cat Faunus reported back. "Only mounted troops I can see."

"So one way or another, they'll intercept us," Jeanne mused, tapping her hand alongside her sword.

"What are you thinking?" her redheaded Knight quietly asked.

"That we bring them in towards us," the blonde replied distantly, chewing on her bottom lip. "We know how hotheaded they usually are, we just need bait…" Her eyes lit up with chagrin as she finally noticed the assembled group staring at her. "Um, well, I mean, it's just a thought…"

"Damn good one, if you ask me," Dew grinned widely, giving her shoulder a gentle thump with her mailed fist. "Why is this girl not a Knight, again?"

"Let's not go into that just now," Pyrrha stated wryly. "I have to agree, though, it's a good plan. What did you have in mind for bait?"

"Er…" The squire's gaze flickered between their brunette leader and her Knight. "It would best be someone able to taunt them from a distance, someone they couldn't resist chasing down… And we all know who those of Cardinal despise more than anyone else…" She swallowed before continuing weakly. "Rogues."

There was a light _thump_ as Blake landed in their midst. "I'll do it," she said firmly.

"You sure about this, Blakey?" the brunette asked, silver eyes searching those of amber.

"Definitely," the Faunus Rogue returned. "I've known far too many who have suffered at their hands, it would be my genuine pleasure."

A half hour later saw the raven-haired woman perched in a tree close to the path where the mounted Knights' patrol would soon cross, tail wrapped securely around her waist while her hands grasped her magical bow, _Gambol Shroud_ , at the ready. Her eyes narrowed as she counted the armored men, an even twenty in two columns.

They looked a bit more menacing closer up.

"Why did I think this was a good idea?" she murmured to herself before letting a small smirk flit across her features. "Oh, right, I get to kill some Cardinal Knights."

Her mind drifted towards the memory of one of her childhood friends. Neon had been a bright, free spirit. She had no extra feline ears, but the fellow Cat Faunus had a gloriously fluffy tail that matched the bright shock of orange-red hair atop her head.

Until, that was, she was caught for pilfering an apple from a market stall. The pair of Knights from the Order of Cardinal were swift and vicious in their so-called justice.

And Neon, bereft of what was her defining characteristic of her race, one she'd taken great pride in and care of, sunk into a depression so low that she'd slit her wrists before the fortnight was out.

The raven-haired woman growled quietly, readying her bow with an arrow notched. Her amber eyes flew about, marking each of the first six armored men riding along. Then she focused in on one of those up front, a shorter Knight with a rather ridiculous-looking blue mohawk, and let fly.

Fast as she could, her hand flew between the bow and the quiver at her back, drawing and releasing without letting her breath out. As the sixth arrow took flight, she nimbly leapt to the ground, grinning unrepentantly at the confusion among the surviving Knights.

Her smile dropped as she stood there with her hip cocked to the side and her arms crossed, both Faunus ears and tail flickering irritably, while she remained unnoticed.

"Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," she murmured wryly. "Great big armored oafs need a clue applied to their foreheads with a warhammer…"

She sighed a bit, pushing aside the morose feeling. She'd already mourned the loss of her orange-haired, effervescent friend, but right now Blake needed to act the part of bait.

"Hey!" she shouted.

One large, red-faced Knight wheeled around on his stallion, seeking out the source of the voice. When his eyes finally lit upon the Cat Faunus Rogue, she grinned and stuck her tongue out before racing off into the shadows.

"Get that Faunus bitch!" she heard roared from behind, followed by the thunder of hooves.

 _So, that seemed to work admirably. Now, was what step two in the plan?_ Her amber eyes darted about, looking for the landmark. _There!_

Blake put on another burst of speed as she felt the approaching horses behind her. "Perhaps," she panted, "I should... have started… running earlier…"

And then she broke from the treeline, the village in sight. She practically flew down the gentle slope, aiming for a spot next to the church in the center of the mostly-ruined buildings. Fierce cries echoed from behind her as the thundering hooves drew even closer.

Right on cue, in mid-stride, a glowing glyph appeared beneath her feet, and she was flung upwards, tumbling gracelessly through the air until she flopped onto the roof of the church, clinging to it tenaciously.

"Ow," she moaned.

"Oh, don't complain," a light, musical voice interjected humorously. "You did volunteer, after all."

"And the next time I do, Weiss," the Cat Faunus groaned, rolling onto her stomach before rising back up in a crouch, "smack me upside the head or something."

Her Elven friend giggled lightly. "I'll remember that, dear."

Down below the Knights were still thundering past, confused as to where their quarry had gone. As the last pair passed, a blonde figure stepped out from behind the corner of a ruined house. She tumbled directly into the path of the two horsemen, slamming her fists into the torsos of the steeds to send them thrashing to the ground.

The screams of the injured Knights caused the rest to wheel about, just in time for another figure, this one a red-clad brunette wielding an almost comically oversized warscythe that trailed black flames, to slice three of their opponents in half with one wide swing.

At that, the others joined in from various spots around the area. Pyrrha and Jeanne approached from one direction, while Nebula and Dew closed in from another, hemming the confused cavalry in.

"Got one runner," Weiss commented nonchalantly. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Blake grinned widely as she spotted a man escaping, hunched over his horse as he flogged it unmercilessly. "Gladly."

With one swift motion, she nocked an arrow, drew, and let loose. Just at the edge of town, the man slumped over before falling bonelessly off of the horse, which continued on its manic charge away from the fighting.

Shortly thereafter, the dust settled, with most of the surviving horses scattered and fleeing. Only one survivor remained from the enemy patrol, the bulky one that Blake had noted before and seemed to be in charge.

"Well, well, well," Nebula murmured as she approached the wounded man who was gasping for breath. Pyrrha had engaged him in single combat, easily avoiding the two-handed mace that the man wielded in order to skewer him through his chest. It was most assuredly a mortal wound were he not to receive a healing draught, and the party was far too stingy with their meager supplies to even consider that as an option.

"You know this miscreant?" Pyrrha asked, her sword still pointed at the downed man's throat.

"Oh, yes," the indigo-haired Elf intoned. "This would be Sir Cardin Winchester, next in line to be the head of the chapter here in Vale for his Order."

"Hmm, then I suppose that pretty much seals it," Ruby noted as she lounged nearby, feet swinging from her perch atop a low wall. "The Order of Cardinal threw in with a Red Dragon."

"Did you know that, _Cardin_?" Nebula asked, kneeling down and scowling at the injured man. "That you were supporting a creature who wants nothing more than the extinction of our race, if she's anything like her mate?"

"Oh, please," Cardin panted. "She's not… gonna kill all of us… needs our help… Plenty of glory… and riches…"

With a derisive snort, Nebula got back to her feet and glanced Ruby's way. "What would you have done with him, My Lady?"

The brunette's silver eyes twinkled as she shot her a grin. "I shall gladly defer to the judgment of the Order of Artemis in this matter."

"You are too kind, My Lady," Nebula replied solemnly, though her own olive-colored eyes shone with matching mirth. "Lady Nikos, if you would do the honors?"

"Gladly," the redhead answered, deftly skewering the traitorous Knight through his throat.

Dew stepped up, her own violet eyes glinting harshly. "A fitting end for those cowardly enough to betray their oaths to our Kingdom."

"Indeed." Nebula sheathed her sword, turning towards Ruby once more. "Do we proceed?"

"We do," the brunette answered. "We'll remain on foot, I'd rather stay hidden than use horses for speed. We should have a hole, now, to get through and into the city. Let's take advantage of that, and hopefully we won't meet any more opposition."

**City of Vale**

"You really should know better," Blake commented nonchalantly.

Ruby let out a grunt from where she crouched next to the Faunus woman atop a tree branch. "You'd think so, wouldn't you?"

The forest ended just outside of the range of a bow from the towering city walls, dotted every so often with defensive towers and minarets. Smoke rose from within the town, various places both along the edges and the interior, conveying the sense of unrest from the populace. The rest of the area in between them and the city itself was mostly barren, scoured of any flora.

And currently was filled with a vast army of Orcs, seemingly laying siege to the town.

"Whelp, this complicates things," the brunette sighed before dropping nimbly to the ground. Blake followed soon thereafter, landing in a crouch with her tail out behind her for balance. Weiss was walking around, spreading out their supplies in preparation for the upcoming action.

"Ya think?" Yang retorted sarcastically. "So what's the plan, then? Attack?"

"That's not much of a plan," Jeanne protested weakly.

"But we don't have much else left," Ruby sighed. "They're not really focused on the city, they have a force by each of the main gates to keep everyone in, but the bulk of the Orcs are facing out, waiting for us."

"Oum's bloody ballsack, that's a lot of Orcs," Yang muttered.

The entirety of the party paused momentarily as if waiting for the expected interjection of 'language', but as one they came to realize such chiding would never be heard again. For now, all they could do was push aside their lingering despondency and focus on the task at hand.

"We can't cause much of a diversion," Nebula warned quietly. "Dismounted, it removes most of our utility."

"No, I don't want you to be a diversion." Ruby looked around at her companions, smiling warmly. "It's time to escalate things. Yang and I go in as Dragons, clear a path. The rest of you stick together, protect the Orb, while we keep the Orcs away. Get to the city, and hopefully we can gather enough of the guard who remain loyal to Vale itself."

"That's… pretty tenuous," Pyrrha murmured. "We are banking on winning over the populace when we are not giving them any reason to do so. None of us are that well-known…"

"Really?" the brunette grinned, turning towards a thoughtful-looking Nebula.

"I suppose there are enough within Vale who I am known to," the Elven Knight mused. "Particularly the guardsmen, I helped train many of them."

"So we have two objectives," Ruby continued. "Get the Orb inside Vale, and get Nebula towards the guardsmen, gather support and see if we can't get Cinder to show herself."

"Right." Yang cracked her knuckles eagerly. "We ready for this, then?"

"One moment," Blake spoke up quickly, a bright blush on her cheeks as she realized that, misgivings be damned to the Abyss, it was now or never. "Ruby…"

"Blake?" The brunette turned towards her, taking a step closer. Her silver eyes shone with curiosity, alongside another emotion that Blake was beginning to realize had been there all along. One that was echoed in her own heart.

This was it. She could do this, she was a grown-ass Faunus, dammit, and before they flung themselves into what could possibly be the biggest fight of their lives, she should be able to finally express her feelings. To let this incredible girl know just how she felt about her.

Blake opened her mouth... and her throat seized up. The words were there, right on her lips, but unwilling to be heard.

Ruby's expression changed slightly as if she finally realized what the raven-haired woman was going to say. The brunette parted her lips, and Blake knew what was coming, reassurance that she didn't need to say anything, she didn't need to put herself out there…

_Fuck it._

With a lunge, Blake wrapped her arms around the shorter girl's waist and eagerly sealed her lips over those of the girl she'd so desperately fallen in love with.

Ruby froze in shock at first, before she slipped her own arms around Blake's neck and eagerly returned the affection.

All sense of time and surroundings left the Cat Faunus as she molded herself against the brunette's body, arms and legs and tail wrapped around her to bring her in as close as possible. She pushed as much of her emotions, her love, into the kiss as she could, expressing what she could not vocalize.

Dimly, she noted several exclamations of mirth from their companions, including a very satisfied "It's about damn time" from Yang, and what sounded like gold lien coins exchanging hands between Jeanne and a chagrined Dew.

Finally, after seemingly hours had passed, they parted, lips swollen and eyes alight with passion.

"I love you," Blake whispered dazedly, finally able to give voice to her feelings.

"I love you too, Blakey," the brunette giggled softly. "Let's, um… continue this conversation after we liberate Vale, okay?"

"Gladly," she murmured, allowing the other girl to part from their mutual embrace.

"Damn, kitten," Yang chortled, giving her shoulder a bump. "Way to go after your prey, finally."

"Yang," she sighed bemusedly. "Dragon or no, I will bop you over the head."

"Promises, promises."

Ruby stepped to the fore of the group, her eyes lingering on Blake with a heat in them that made her slightly weak in the knees. "Okay. Now that I'm properly motivated…" She grinned at the chuckles around the party and Blake's furious blush. "We ready to do this?"

"Ruby," the Elven Mage spoke up from where she stood, gazing out at the city. "Remember what you said about drawing out Cinder?"

"Um, yeah?" Ruby stepped up beside her friend curiously, looking out at where the platinum blonde was focused. "...Oh. Well."

Blake squinted as she stepped alongside the other pair. "That woman?" she asked hesitantly. Above the main gatehouse stood what seemed to be a female Human with long raven hair and a red dress. She didn't seem to be wielding any weapons, but simply perched atop the parapet with nobody else around her, as if she were patiently waiting.

"It's too far to get a good read on her," Yang muttered from behind them. "But who else would be arrogant enough to act like that?"

"Only a Dragon," Ruby chuckled ruefully. "See how the Orcs are pulling back a bit from in front of the gates?"

Yang peered across the distance, shaking her head. "I'll be damned. Not close enough for Blake's bow or Weiss' spells…"

"Or for the Orb to affect her," Ruby affirmed. "But close enough to be heard by another Dragon."

"So, what, she wants to speak with us?" Jeanne asked. "Or, I suppose, just with the two of you?"

"We'll all go down," the brunette mused. "I sincerely doubt she'll either request or offer any submission, but perhaps we can get a better idea of what's going on."

"I am not so sure about this course of action," Pyrrha warned as they began to cautiously emerge from the treeline. "The chances that this is an ambush…"

"It's a possibility," Ruby agreed quietly. "Stay alert, both Yang and I are vulnerable this close to the Orb…"

"Wait." Jeanne stepped around towards the front and turned to face them. "This is exactly what she wants, all of us together, and with the two of you weakened… We should keep some of us back, along with the Orb."

"It would mean further for us to fight through if things devolve," Dew murmured uncertainly.

Nebula nodded firmly. "Which they most certainly will. Still, Novitate D'Arc has a good point. We should not play into her hands so readily."

Ruby huffed out a breath, but then tilted her head to the side, eyes turning a stormy grey as if she were listening to something. And then she shared a tight grin with her sister, whose own orbs were now a brilliant, burning crimson. "You're right, Jeanne. And as of now, we just need to buy some time. Okay, then, new plan…"

**City of Vale Outer Walls**

A lone figure strode confidently into the clearing ringed with snarling Orcs. The massive, armored, green-skinned forms seemed to loom over the tiny red-cloaked girl as she walked, her hood up to conceal her features, even though they were over twenty yards away.

Cinder's features contorted into a snarl. She knew better. This was no small, unassuming little girl. No, she could feel her strength from where she proudly stood atop the gatehouse of the city she'd conquered. This was the meddlesome Silver, the thrice-damned spawn of her dead antagonist, Summer.

Finally, the girl came to a halt within easy speaking distance for those of her kind. Her hands reached up to pull her hood back, revealing a familiar round face framed by red-tipped brunette hair.

And silver eyes.

The venerable Red Dragon growled under her breath before schooling her features once more into her usual haughty demeanor. "Welcome to my kingdom, little Silver."

"I greet you, Cindeshthyaleramathe," the girl called out in a clear, ringing voice. "I am Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias. You are not wanted here."

"And are you one to remove me, little Silver?" she taunted gleefully. Oh, this was just too rich, the inconsequential upstart was actually issuing her a formal challenge! "There is no way to stop me without destroying what is left of this pitiful town, and I have quite the army in between me and your little friends."

"You should not be so quick to dismiss us," the brunette warned. "Already we have faced and defeated many of your forces, mercenary and Draconic alike."

Cinder growled once more at that. The loss of both Mercury and Emerald was irritating, but she was also missing a pair of promising Onyx allies, as well as the Chromatic Dragon who was so very useful to her. The very notion that this Silver hatchling was responsible for all five Dragons was simply ludicrous.

"You cannot win!" the Red snarled, dropping her confident countenance. "I've already slain all of those within the city here who opposed me, Vale is in complete disarray! And now I am on the brink of bringing war to all of Remnant, the fate of Vale will be known to the other kingdoms!"

"And why would you do that?" the Silver asked with an earnest naivete.

"Why?" Cinder threw her head back and laughed, the musical notes overlaid with a harsh, guttural noise. "Why, you ask? To finish what my mate started, of course! The humanoid infestation of Remnant shall be cleansed, and Dragons shall once again take our rightful place as the dominant race! No longer will we be consigned to remote lairs, afraid to draw close to so-called _civilization_!"

The raven-haired woman's voice rose to a shriek as she pointed a red-nailed finger at the seemingly placid girl, so small on the ground beneath her. "All that is left for me to do is to remove you and the meddlesome pests that accompany you! And this time, I shall drop that Ancients-forsaken Orb into the bottomless ocean! Are you truly prepared to die for your quaint little beliefs, the same ideals your cursed mother died for?"

"I am, yes," the Silver replied calmly. "I will preserve the Balance, the natural order of things as they stand. But it will be a bit harder than you anticipate to kill us."

Finally, Cinder felt it, the pressure in the back of her head. _Just in time._ She calmed herself and crossed her arms, eyebrow quirked regally. "Oh, really, is that so?" She raised one hand, then, and gestured to the sky behind her.

The brunette's eyes were drawn to the north where the forms of a great many Dragons became apparent, cresting the mountains. Reds, Greens, Whites, and Browns filled the sky as their massive wings beat upon the winds, growing ever closer.

But then the Silver smirked and gave Cinder a calm nod. "Yes, really."

The Red opened her mouth to issue a retort but then closed it as she saw more figures approaching in the sky from the east. The sun high overhead shone brightly off of the metallic scales of sleek Silvers, stout Bronzes, and a few massive Golds. In the center of the formation, a good deal more numerous than those Cinder had called upon, were two solitary midnight spots indicating a pair of Onyx Dragons leading them.

Cinder's furious gaze shot back down, burning crimson orbs piercing those of the girl, whose own eyes were now a stormy grey. The brunette's smirk widened as her form shimmered and grew until a Dragon loomed over the quailing Orcish troops. The Silver reared her head back, uttering a clarion roar that was echoed from the sky.

The Second Dragon War had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Ladybug is finally a thing! And apologies for the extra feels in there regarding Ren, it was my daughter CaliopeGrant's idea, I blame her. Though she shares my oftentimes evil sense of humor. Now, then, who's ready for a Dragon rumble?


	32. Berserker's Fury

**Volume 4**

**Kingdom of Vale**

"I'm not so much a dragon slayer, more a dragon annoyer… I'm a dragon irritater."  
~ Craig Ferguson

"You haven't been bit till a dragon does it."  
~ Tamora Pierce, Emperor Mage

The sleek Silver soared in for another pass, a great gout of flame roaring forth to incinerate some of the Orcs amassed around her friends battling below as she skimmed along the ground. So far, the fight had been easily managed, but things were becoming a bit more… hectic.

She turned her head just in time to veer away, avoiding a furious charge by yet another Brown. The similarly-sized Dragon soared past her, but she let it go, noting a Bronze that was bearing down on her would-be ambusher.

Instead, she wheeled around, glancing back down at the small pocket of her embattled companions as they steadily pushed forward. The presence of the Orb ensured that only the most foolhardy of Dragons would attempt to attack them, as was evidenced by the scorched remains of a Green embedded in the ground some dozens of yards behind them. But still, even though she worried for them, there was just so much she could do without impeding their own progress or putting herself unnecessarily at risk.

Satisfied for now that she'd helped them as best she could, Ruby climbed back into the sky where a swirling, chaotic melee was taking place.

She immediately noted another Silver who was beset by a pair of Browns, the both of them locking their jaws onto her struggling form. Ruby shot forward with her innate speed, crashing into one of the Browns and sending him careening off, while she deftly turned and snared the other Brown around the shoulder with her talons. The wounded Dragon let out a keening roar that was cut off when the first Silver turned and clamped down on his upper neck, snapping it.

The two Silvers sprang apart, allowing the corpse to fall to the ground. "You okay?" Ruby asked the other, noting the gashes along her flank.

"I will be!" she replied before taking off once again, eager for more battle.

Ruby shook her head wryly. There was no denying the fervor of the young Silvers who had pledged themselves to her cause, but some of them were woefully inexperienced.

Fortunately, the bulk of the Dragons opposing Cinder were fairly equally spread between the quick Silvers and the more combative Bronzes. And speaking of which…

Ruby wheeled once more, lashing out at a large Red who was bearing down on a familiar Bronze Dragon. She latched onto his back, digging in and snapping at his vulnerable wings. As the Red tried to dislodge his antagonistic passenger, the Bronze spun back around and assaulted him from the front.

The mighty Dragon didn't last for much longer after that.

"All right there, Ruby?" the Bronze queried humorously as they hovered midair, watching the Red's corpse tumble down in the direction of the city walls.

"Good to see you, Fox," she greeted him somberly, cognizant that this wasn't the time to tell him that his sister had perished. "Have you seen Yang?"

Fox laughed as the tempo of his beating wings picked up. "Just look for the biggest cluster of the enemy, and you'll find her!"

Ruby gave him a grateful nod as she rose up higher, trying to get a better view of the overall battle. So far, the inexperience of the Silvers was ably balanced by both the aggressive Bronzes and the few powerful Golds that had joined the mix. As well, she'd seen her Uncle Qrow flit past, diving in and out of battle, seemingly untouchable and only matched by the other venerable Onyx.

The Silver chuckled, wondering who or what had been able to persuade Yang's mother, Raven, to join the conflict.

And then her grey eyes lit upon a swirling flight of several Brown Dragons, along with a White and another Red, who seemed to be in the process of pummeling a solitary Gold.

Growling, Ruby threw herself forward, pushing her speed to its limits. She flashed through the melee, scoring several deep gashes against those facing her sister. One Brown immediately tumbled from the sky, his wing mangled beyond use, while another fled the scene with part of his face, including an eye, scoured away by the Silver's sharp claws.

She threw herself up high before turning and plummeting down like a meteor. Another Brown was wounded in her flank, allowing Yang to push her other Brown opponent away and finish her off, while Ruby landed on her next target, the White.

The Dragon may have been of a size with her, but he was as strong as Yang. Still, from her perch atop his back, lodged between his wings, he was unable to bring his greater strength to bear, and gradually weakened from her assault. Finally, he managed to throw her off, but instead of continuing the fight, he simply turned and limped away, his flight erratic as he made for the northern mountains.

Ruby spun around to see Yang attempt to finish off the Red, but then another crimson-scaled form slammed into the pair, sending all three crashing down and into the forested ground. With a sigh, the Silver swooped down and tore into the newcomer, allowing Yang to finally put an end to her original opponent.

The Gold chuckled as she painfully rose to her haunches, stretching out her bloodied wings. "Thanks for the help, Ruby!"

"Yang," she growled seriously as she set down next to her. "What in Oum's name do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she thundered, "you're not even trying to stay safe! Are you… Are you actually _trying_ to kill yourself?"

"What? No, of course not," Yang scoffed half-heartedly. "But if I have to go, this is one glorious battle to go out in!"

The Gold threw her a jaunty wink before she stretched her wings back out and rose up into the conflict once again.

Ruby gaped incredulously at the departing Gold. _No. No fucking way am I going to lose her after we just found each other. And there is no way I'm allowing her own stupidity to be the cause of her demise._

Grimly, she leapt back into the sky and shot back over towards the battle taking place on the ground. As she drew close, skimming across the tops of the trees, she spied a small, foolhardy Red who was trying to melt a dome-like ice shield evidently raised to protect her friends.

With a snarl, she sped in and ripped into the Red hatchling, sending her fleeing away and trailing pained howls and hot droplets of blood. Without further ado, she landed next to the now-dispelled shield.

"Weiss!" the Silver called out anxiously. "I need you to jump on!"

Unhesitatingly, the Elven Mage raced up the extended wing, while the others stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"Ruby, what are you-" Pyrrha began, but she quickly cut her off.

"No time, hang tight, alright?" Her eyes sought out Blake and tried to give her as much reassurance as possible in the face of more approaching Orcs. "I'll be back soon to help!"

With that, she sprang into the air, nimbly twisting and turning to avoid the swirling combat above.

"Where are we going?" Weiss shouted, clinging to her back tenaciously.

Ruby's nose was pointed straight at where Yang was now single-handedly battling a pair of Browns and another Red, this one quite a bit larger than her. "There!"

She accelerated, putting more lift into her flight as she tried to get above the dueling Dragons.

"What is she doing?" Weiss gasped.

"Trying to kill herself," Ruby growled. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course!"

"Do you still trust Yang?"

She was a bit more hesitant in answering this time, but when it came it was full of firm conviction. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Ruby nodded as she soared overhead. "Get ready to jump!"

"...WHAT?!"

"Now, Weiss, jump!"

With a disbelieving shriek, the Elf let go and tumbled into the air. Ruby banked hard and dove towards the Dragons below.

"Yang!" she bellowed as she flashed past, disabling both of the Browns in one go. "Catch!"

"Wha-?" The Gold spun in place, her crimson eyes wide and shocked as she picked out the small white form plummeting towards the ground and screaming her name.

The Gold shot forward, ignoring the wounded Red and racing to intercept her lover. She made it in plenty of time, hovering in place to allow Weiss to become settled before she took off once more, the enraged Red now on her tail.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Yang bellowed angrily over her shoulder.

"You tell me!" Weiss shrieked furiously. "Why were you trying to kill yourself?"

"I wasn't-"

"Don't give me that! I saw you, Yang! Why were you trying to take all of those Dragons on at once?"

"Is now the best time for this?" the Gold retorted hotly.

With a growl, Weiss spun in place, flinging several ice shards behind her. The pursuing Red, not expecting the attack, roared in pain as his wings were shredded. He broke off, painfully gliding away from the battle over Vale.

"There's never a perfect time for this!" the Elf shouted, her left hand firmly clasped around _Myrtenaster_ while the other clutched at the mane in front of her. "So now is as good a time as any!"

A gout of fire erupted from Yang's mouth at a passing White who was intent on chasing down a Silver. The wintry Dragon screamed as she arced towards the ground, trailing flames and smoke.

"Really?" Yang yelled, the sarcasm dripping from her lips as much as the flames did. "In the middle of a battle?"

"Yes, Yang! Now will you _please_ tell me what it is that has you so intent on driving us apart?"

"I'm not trying to drive us apart!"

"Well, you're doing a bloody good job of it!" Weiss retorted. She reached over her shoulder and threw up a wall of ice in mid-air. Another Red had soared in to try and latch onto Yang's back, but instead cracked his head against the ice block, shattering it but causing him to fly away from his intended target, his movements wobbly and erratic.

"Weiss…"

"No, Yang! You tell me, right now, what is this bargain?"

Yang growled loudly enough that it vibrated the Elf where she was perched. The Gold banked suddenly, arcing in and scoring deep slashes into the flank of a Green who was latched onto a Bronze. The Green wailed as she flung herself away, but the damage had already been done. The Bronze, missing most of his face from the acid breath, tumbled soundlessly from the sky.

"Fine!" the Gold shouted as she wheeled back around again, searching for more targets. With Weiss on her back, there was no way she'd risk engaging in another stand-up fight, but she could still perform some hit-and-runs to assist others. "You really want to know?"

"Yes, I do!"

"I have to go back home and find a mate, okay?"

Their flight evened out as they passed through a relatively tame portion of the skies. Weiss absentmindedly flung out a lance of fire at a Brown who got too close, sending him scurrying away.

"Say again?" Weiss prompted, barely audible to the Gold's ears.

She laughed morosely. "You heard me. The bargain was, when I found my sister, I was to return to the Gold Matriarch with a mate, or she would find one for me."

"But…" The Elf swallowed, the surrounding battle suddenly distant. "I love you, Yang."

"And I love you, princess, but that doesn't matter. It's the Dragon way." Yang sighed heavily. "My line is strong, I have to… to bear hatchlings…"

"Do you… want to?"

" _No_!" Yang roared angrily, causing Weiss to jump slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another Red bearing in. With an irritated growl, she drew her rapier and pointed it at the approaching Dragon. A searing lance of lightning hit the young Red right in the chest, blasting through deep enough to mortally wound it. She slumped in her perch from the aura drain.

"Then… why?"

"Because I have to, damn it! I gave my word!"

"Yang…" Weiss shook her head, flinging away her tears. "No. I refuse to… Very well. What, precisely, was the wording of your bargain?"

The Gold whirled around suddenly as a Bronze flashed past. The platinum-haired woman recognized the form of Yatsu as he was being pursued by a pair of Greens.

Yang's wings beat furiously as she built up enough speed to catch up. While she blasted the rightmost one with another gout of her flame breath, Weiss pelted the other with icy spikes until he broke off to look for easier prey.

After being assured of her childhood friend's momentary safety, the Gold wheeled around once again and headed for the outskirts of the battle. She _hummed_ to herself, the sound vibrating through her chest.

"I had to swear to return after I found Ruby," she rumbled. "I already modified that to include assisting her with her quest, but I cannot push that any further. As for the other… I was told, 'Either choose a mate or I will choose one for you.'"

Weiss frowned as she flexed her fingers around the hilt of _Myrtenaster_ , feeling her aura slowly replenish itself. "That's it?"

"Well, yes, but the intent-"

"Ah-pupupup!" the Mage cut her off imperiously. "We're not talking intent here, we are speaking of the exact oath you gave to your Matriarch!"

"Okay…" Yang's head swung back and forth as she searched for more targets. "Then, yes, that's it."

"I fail to see the problem."

"What?" the Gold barked incredulously.

"I love you," Weiss reiterated patiently. "And you love me. Why can I not be your mate?"

"But…" Yang slowed the beat of her wings as she tried to come to terms with what her lover was proposing. "Being a mate… I mean, the Matriarch wanted me to continue my bloodline!"

"But that is not what you swore."

"No… No, it's not…"

"Is there some sort of rule or law against a Dragon taking a non-Dragon as a mate?"

"Nooo…" the Gold drawled uncertainly. "It's just… I've never heard of it being done before…"

"Very well, then," Weiss proclaimed triumphantly. "We'll make it work."

"We… We will? How?"

At that, the platinum-haired Elf laughed, the sound tinged with a bit of hysteria. "Yang, you're a fucking Dragon, we'll make it work _somehow_!"

The Gold couldn't help but laugh a bit herself. "You know what? Yeah. Fuck it, we'll make it work."

"There's the blonde I know and love," Weiss grinned, leaning forward and wrapping her free arm tightly around the massive scaled neck in front of her.

"You are awfully stubborn," Yang retorted wryly. "For a non-Dragon, that is."

"Perhaps you've begun to rub off on me," Weiss giggled merrily. "Now then, shall we return to the battle?"

"So long as you got my back, princess."

"Always, my love."

**City of Vale Outer Walls**

Pyrrha's lips were pulled back in a snarl as she waded forward, lashing out at yet another Orc trying to bar their path. As with the others, he was dispatched adroitly, but the ongoing battle was beginning to wear on her.

The redheaded Knight took a step back, searching out her companions. Jeanne stood strong by her side, as usual, blocking an overhand strike from a greatsword with her shield before _Crocea Mors_ flashed out and disemboweled her opponent, ripping through leather armor as if it were paper. Nebula and Dew strode along at their flanks, guarding the unarmored Cat Faunus in the middle who was doing an admirable job of slaughtering the vast majority of the horde they faced.

There seemed to be no fatigue at all in the raven-haired girl's stance as she wielded her enchanted bow with deadly precision, but Pyrrha was attuned enough to her friend by now to note the worried droop in her Faunus ears, wondering where their brunette leader had gotten to.

As if summoned by the very thought, a familiar Silver Dragon soared overhead, passing by on both flanks and scorching deep furrows of flame in the ground. The surging armies of Orcs pulled back at the onslaught, allowing the beleaguered group to press forward once again.

And then a red-cloaked shape tumbled to the ground from behind, jogging forward. "How are we doing?" Ruby asked quickly.

"No injuries, remarkably enough," the redhead reported. "But we're beginning to tire. Also, we're without our magical support now."

"Yeah, sorry about that," she chuckled in return. The brunette paused by Blake, who had lowered her bow to give her arms a rest. With an impish grin, Ruby hopped up into her toes to press a quick kiss on the raven-haired woman's cheek, eliciting a blush.

"Are they okay?" Jeanne pressed. "Yang and Weiss?"

"They will be," she returned firmly. "But they need to work together right now. I'll stay with you guys and fight on the ground, I'm just one big target otherwise as my defenses are diminished by the orb."

The brunette reached her hand out towards Dew, who readily passed over an oddly-shaped lump of metal. With a grateful nod, Ruby whispered a few words before unfurling her massive warscythe.

"Right, so let me take point for a bit, okay? Stick close but conserve your energy."

"Are we still heading for the gates?" Nebula asked worriedly. "I don't think they will be opened for us."

"No, there's a breach a little ways along, the body of a Dragon fell right on the wall." Ruby strode forward confidently, "Should get us closer to Cinder."

"She left the gatehouse as soon as I got within range," Blake growled lightly.

"Don't worry, you'll get your chance, Blakey," the brunette retorted before sprinting forward to intercept another group of armored Orcs.

The group pressed forward, the going much easier now with Ruby carving great bloody swaths through the opposition. She whirled about like a red cyclone, leaving a trail of dismembered body parts and bloody Orc corpses in her wake. Slowly the party pressed forward, drawing ever nearer towards the corpse of a giant Red that was sprawled across the ground, its head hidden from view where it had collapsed the wall of Vale atop it. Ringing the breach were soldiers in the livery of Vale, holding off any approaching Orcs but making no attempt to move past the walls.

Just as they reached their destination, a mighty roar shook the ground. The adventurers looked up to spy another Red Dragon, this one easily twice as large as the one on the ground before them, looming up from behind the city walls.

"Cinder," the Silver growled, hands tightening around her weapon.

"What is she doing?" Jeanne gasped incredulously. "She's still inside the city, she must be crushing so many people…"

"I do not think she really cares about that," Pyrrha murmured sadly, thinking of the massive loss of life among the Valesian civilians from the Red's careless actions.

But then the group was forced to step back, the gargantuan beating wings causing gale-force winds to batter at them. Cinder roared once more, a thunderous sound filled with rage and frustration, before leaping to the the air and slowly building up speed, snout pointed back towards the west. Blake brought her bow up but just as quickly dropped it to her side again with a snarl as the Red was far outside her range, not to mention the Orb's.

The redheaded Mistralian Knight turned towards the party's leader. "Will you chase her down?"

"Yes," Ruby gritted out, her eyes a swirling cloud of stormy grey. "I am _not_ letting her get away with all of this." The brunette turned with a frown, passing her collapsed weapon along to Dew once more who strapped it to her back. "Jeanne, keep ahold of the Orb, make sure it still gets inside Vale, okay? Stick with the plan, I'll just-"

"I'm coming with you," Blake interrupted firmly.

The Silver smiled softly at the Cat Faunus. "Okay," she replied simply.

She stepped to the side and changed back into her true form, with the Rogue nimbly hopping up behind her neck. With a quick backdraft, the pair took to the skies, arrowing off in pursuit of the ancient Red.

"Right," Pyrrha stated with conviction. "We need to get inside the city, now."

They strode forward, the opposing Orcs seemingly dwindled away this close to the walls. As they clambered up the Dragon corpse, using the jumbled stone debris to pull themselves up, the four Knights paused atop the corpse's neck.

Beneath them, the milling guardsmen were making no attempt to even defend the breach anymore, not that there were any more Orcs forcing their way in. Instead, the leaderless soldiers were fearfully conversing about the gigantic battle and the presence of Dragons around their city.

"Are they not even _trying_?" Jeanne whispered incredulously.

"They're at least here," Nebula sighed. "Without any sort of command structure or motivation, though, the best we can hope for is that they keep the city safe."

"That's not good enough," the blonde growled, her sapphire eyes flashing as she stepped forward and drew her sword once more. The enchanted blade gleamed in her hand as she raised it over her head.

"Citizens of Vale!" she shouted, capturing the attention of every soldier in sight. "Are you truly content to sit behind your safe walls while the Valesian population suffers?"

Pyrrha watched her squire, proud tears forming in her eyes as the assembled guardsmen gaped up at her, enraptured. The blonde swung her sword around to point back behind her.

"Look out there. That is your land, your people. Are you willing to let those monsters have it uncontended?" Jeanne turned, her blonde hair, unbound and shining in the sun, swinging out behind her as she gazed across the assembled soldiers. "This is your kingdom, take it back!"

The answering roar might have rivaled that of a Dragon as soldiers began to surge forward, spilling across the Red Dragon's corpse and out past the walls.

Pyrrha sniffled, her hand to her mouth in adoration. "Gods, I love that woman," she whispered.

"So go stand with her," Nebula advised with a grin. The Elven Knight strode back down towards where the guardsmen were assembling outside the walls, bellowing out orders to get them into formation. Remnants of the Orcish army were taking notice, some of them approaching with a gleam in their beady eyes to challenge their occupation of the ground there. Dew ran out to coordinate the other flank, and between the two Valesian Knights they had the soldiers effectively organized in short order.

With a resolved nod, the redhead turned to walk up next to her squire. Jeanne's eyes were bright with adrenaline as the import of what she'd just done dawned upon her.

"That was nicely done," Pyrrha murmured, not bothering to hide the pride or love in her eyes and voice. "Let's get the Orb to its rightful place, shall we?"

"Very well…" the blonde replied with a wide smile, sapphire orbs projecting just as much ardor. "My Lady."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone, say it with me now… "Fucking finally!" I rather like Ruby's method of dispute resolution, just throw them at each other and force them to work it out. Apologies to those who were getting more than a little frustrated with the pacing of Freezerburn's resolution (hugs, AntonSlavik020!). And, yes, this battle is spanning a couple of chapters. Originally I'd intended this particular one to be two shorter chapters, but the flow of battle seemed to work best this way. As I think I've mentioned before, I've actually shorted the planned ending by one chapter. Two more chapters left. Ready for the final boss fight? I'm not. And I wrote the damn thing…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	33. Red Like Roses

**Volume 4**

**Kingdom of Vale**

"I do not care what comes after; I have seen the dragons on the wind of morning."  
~ Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore

"Adult dragons are astute, powerful, and sure of their strength."  
~ Ciruelo Cabral, The Book of the Dragon

The Silver Dragon shot into the sky, wings beating furiously. Behind her, eagerly crouched low against the back of her neck and clutching a dark bow in her hand, was a raven-haired Cat Faunus. The duo's eyes were focused ahead at the larger form of a massive Red who was currently winging her way through the still-raging battle above, batting aside any who opposed her with disdainful ease.

Ruby growled low in her chest as she watched another Silver, encased in fire and trailing smoke, drop noiselessly past them, a victim of the Dragon they pursued. "How many arrows do you have left?" she called back over her shoulder.

"Only six," Blake answered determinedly. "All enchanted. I'll make them count."

"I know you will," she chuckled in reply, but then squawked as her vision was filled with that of an unfriendly Onyx Dragon, mouth open and prepared to incinerate them both.

Before she could even think to react, however, the midnight-scaled Dragon snapped his mouth shut after receiving a painful sting in the back of his throat. And then he reared away in fury as his right eye was put out with another black-feathered arrow.

Ruby grinned widely as she shot past the momentarily disabled opponent.

"Four," Blake announced cheerfully.

"Gods, I love you," the Silver laughed. Her eyes narrowed, however, as she saw how the skies in between them and their target were beginning to fill with a disproportionate number of Reds, Browns, Greens, and Whites as if they were attempting to cover their mistress' retreat.

"That is a lot of Dragons for us to fly through," the Faunus Rogue warned.

She felt the other woman start in surprise against her neck when a voice called out from behind them. "Perhaps some assistance would not be unwelcome?"

The Silver craned her neck to note the flight of other Dragons of her kind as they drew near. She grinned at the sleek argent forms of her friend Arslan, followed by both Reese and Nadir. Trailing behind were a handful of other hatchlings who had joined her cause, some of them bearing wounds from talon or fiery breath.

"Hey, Arslan!" she called back thankfully. "We need to catch up with Cinder, she's trying to escape!"

The other Silver's emerald green eyes glinted dangerously. "Ember's mate? Oh, yes, she is _not_ escaping, especially if she is the cause of all of this."

"She very much is the cause," Ruby growled. "And I intend on chasing her down and making her pay."

"Then allow us to clear for you a hole," Arslan stated firmly. The elder Silver quickened the beating of her wings, the others following in her wake.

"Tuck in behind us!" Reese shouted gleefully. "We'll get you guys there!"

"Well," Blake said with a trace of awe in her voice, surrounded on all sides by silvery forms. "This isn't something I thought I'd ever see in my lifetime."

Ruby opened her mouth to answer but snapped it shut as they entered the bulk of the fighting. A massive Red form crashed through their formation, and two hatchling Silvers immediately latched onto him, riding the howling ambusher down and away from them. Another hatchling was grabbed from behind by a White, who quickly tore off both of her wings, leaving the shrieking Silver to plummet from the sky.

With a fierce snarl, Blake turned in her seat and quickly fired off a pair of simultaneous shots. The White reared back, blood streaming from his ruined eyes before he was tackled in the side by a Bronze.

"Two," the Cat Faunus stated regretfully.

Ruby could only nod in response as she concentrated on her flying, weaving in and out of the battling Dragons. Now that the opposition had gathered all in one area to impede the Silver's progress, the rest of her allies had assembled as well, making the fighting there fierce, bloody, and dense. Bodies collided with each other in mid-air as they struggled, but fortunately, most of the Dragons held back from using their breath weapons for fear of injuring their companions.

A pair of Onyx Dragons shot by, wingtip-to-wingtip, as they did their part to clear out some of the opposition. Several Browns and a Green fell in their wake, grievously wounded. Only the Green was able to pull up in time to painfully wing his way out of the battlefield and towards the safety of the mountains in the north.

"Ruby, was that…?" the Faunus girl began to ask.

"Qrow and Raven, yeah," Ruby replied. "Are you in range of Cinder yet?"

"Amost!"

"Let me know when you are, we need to get her attention to slow her down!"

* * *

In her grey enameled armor, an indigo-haired Elven Knight strode forward at the vanguard of Valesian guardsmen. The towering, bestial visages of Orcs loomed over her, only briefly before they fell to her flashing sword.

"Move up!" she shouted. "Keep pressing forward!"

There seemed to be no end to the invaders, green-skinned armored brutes wielding a variety of deadly weaponry. Two of them charged forward to intercept her, one with a thick-hafted spear and the other with a battleaxe. The nimble Knight dodged the spear thrust first, slicing through the wielder's abdomen while ducking under the axe swing next. Rising back up, before her attacker could finish his backswing, she deftly lopped his head off with an overhand strike.

"My Lady!" a panting voice called out. She fell back slightly and turned to see approaching her the only remaining member of the Valesian Order of the Knights of Artemis.

"Dew! Are you injured?"

"No, but we are sorely tired," her blonde friend and comrade-at-arms reported. The other woman, clad in green armor that matched the style of her own, paused and sucked in a great lungful of air. "Just a suggestion, but we should pull back and regroup before we're overrun so far from the walls."

Nebula spun about, her eyes widening as she realized just how far off their group had gotten. "Oum's sodding balls, yes, thank you, Dew. Alright, people!" she barked out next, picking out the veteran soldiers who served as each unit's sergeant. "Let's keep it close together, form up ranks and fall back in order!"

Several screams from behind her made her whirl back about. More Orcs were pressing in, and the few regular soldiery opposing them were woefully unable to keep them at bay.

"Damn! Dew, to me!"

The pair of Knights surged forward, shoulder-to-shoulder, relieving the pressure on the dark green-clad guardsmen. While the soldiers fell back, the pair of armored women gave them breathing room to do so.

"My Lady, I fear we will be cut off in short order!" one of the sergeants, a woman by the name of Garnet, warned loudly. Her green tabard was torn, but both armor and shield had held firm against the onslaught so far. "We've regrouped but cannot move!"

"Any ideas?" Nebula asked her fellow Knight wearily.

"Well, I imagine surrender is out of the question."

"Naturally."

"I've always thought the best defense to be a good offense."

"You would," the indigo-haired Elf snorted inelegantly. "Fine, then, let's-"

She broke off at a fierce cry from the direction of the walls. Started, the pair of Knights pulled back behind the lines of their soldiers before turning to see what the commotion was.

Surging towards them were more guardsmen, as well as some of the common Valesian soldiers carrying pikes and spears. The armed Humanoids fell upon those Orcs in between them, and Nebula grinned widely at the sight of a familiar red mane of hair leading the charge.

"I do believe our reinforcements have arrived," she noted drily.

"Oh, like you were really expecting that," her friend scoffed quietly before shouting out orders to those guardsmen still alive and in formation. "Right! Defensive hold here, shields out, form a square! East side, facing the wall, prepare to open up!"

In short order, their small group of soldiers was considerably bolstered. A widely-grinning Pyrrha, joined by her equally excited blonde squire, joined them soon thereafter.

"Welcome to the party!" Nebula greeted them with wry humor.

The redheaded Knight chuckled as she gave her a rough embrace. "Well, we could not allow yourselves to have all the fun!"

"Oum," Jeanne sighed humorously, clasping forearms with first Dew and then Nebula. "I think Ruby has begun to rub off on her now."

"Is the Orb safe?" the dark-blonde Knight inquired.

"It is," Pyrrha affirmed. "Safe and secure within our own vault in the Order's compound for the time being. I came across two of our sisters from Vacuo there who had sheltered inside the city when the fighting started, they will guard it with their lives until relieved by one of us."

"Excellent." Nebula grinned widely as she unsheathed her sword once more and pointed at the enemy milling nearby still. "Shall we, then?"

"By your orders, Lady Violette," the redhead nodded with a smile.

The bolstered Valesian troops pushed forward, engaging the bulk of the Orcish horde still surrounding the city. With the addition of another pair of Knights and the disciplined ranks of soldiers and guardsmen pressing forward relentlessly, however, it was enough to finally break the enemy. At first a slow trickle, and then in greater numbers, Orcs began to fall back and fade into the surrounding forests, heading towards the direction of their various clan's homes in the wastelands in between Vale and Vacuo.

Once the Warchiefs began to join the exodus, though, the battle was well and truly over, becoming more of a cleanup effort at that point.

"Right," Nebula stated calmly, cleaning the brackish blood off of her sword on a nearby Orc corpse. "What about the enemy at the north gate, do we still need to deal with them?"

"No, matters were well in hand over there." Pyrrha turned with a grin as she spotted movement from around the walls of Vale. "And I think the cause of that has finished up."

Riding towards them were perhaps forty Knights in gleaming silver armor with gold tabards. On each shield was the crest of a gold field with a black hawk gripping a sword. Unlike the Order of Artemis, those Knights of the Order of Oum were a bit more uniform in their appearance and wore crested helmets as well.

The column pulled up once they reached the four dismounted Knights. The one in the lead removed his gleaming helmet, revealing a messy head of dark red hair and a youthful face.

"Well met, Sisters of Artemis! I am Sir Nolan Porfirio, a humble Knight of Oum, at your service!"

Nebula laughed, the tension of the past hour falling from her shoulders. "Well met, indeed, Sir Knight. I am Lady Nebula Violette, and if I may be so bold, I would request of you the use of a horse."

"Of course," the Knight replied with a genial nod. "If I may, I also recognize your name as the ranking Valesian Knight here, and duly place myself and those of my order at your disposal."

"I am very glad to hear that." The indigo-haired Elf nodded gratefully as a lesser-armored figure, likely a squire, dropped from his horse to hand the reins over. "I would certainly have use of you and yours to pursue these Orcs to the very borders of our Kingdom."

"Pardon me," Jeanne interjected differentially. "But… you said Lady Violette here was the ranking Knight in Vale?"

"Indeed," Nolan replied sadly. "The head of our own order, and several ranking members, were all assassinated a fortnight ago. I know the membership of Artemis is perhaps minuscule compared to some such as ours here, but I _am_ aware that she was next in line to succeed the Head of the Order of Artemis' chapter here."

"So that makes you the closest thing to leadership that we have," Dew warned her friend. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"I shall try my best," Nebula reassured her as she mounted the warhorse. With a fierce cry, she drew her sword and held it aloft, turning to face the other mounted Knights. "Let us chase these vermin out of our lands! For Vale!"

"For Vale!" roared the column of Knights as they set off, hooves thundering in pursuit of the retreating army.

"So," Pyrrha began conversationally. "If our dear Nebula is considered to be the highest ranking Valesian…"

Dew glanced at her nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well, it just goes to reason, that would make you next in line." Pyrrha smiled at her unrepentantly. "You're in charge."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Oh, but you are."

"You are far higher-ranking than I!"

"Ah, yes," Jeanne snickered. "But we're Mistralian, not Valesian."

The redhead and blonde glanced at each other humorously before turning and snapping off smart salutes.

"Your orders, My Lady?" Pyrrha asked courteously.

"I order you to stop acting like a pair of loons," Dew grumbled as she stalked past them, the snickers of the other pair echoed by those guardsmen in listening range. "And get these people organized, let's head back to the city and start cleaning up."

"As you command, My Lady!" Jeanne barked.

"Oh, do stuff it, Novitiate."

* * *

Ruby was becoming quite fed up with the sight of the ancient Red's posterior. Any time it seemed as if they might finally catch up with the elusive Dragon, more of Cinder's allies would swoop in to intercept them. It was only the four Silvers now who remained focused on their target.

She winced briefly as she saw Cinder's escape momentarily halted by a large Gold, still significantly smaller than her, as they clashed in the air. He was left reeling as she managed to tear great chunks out of his hide, though he managed to slightly damage one of her wings in the exchange.

The quartet was broken up again by the rush of a flight of the enemy, this time a large group of Browns. In hot pursuit were a pair of Bronzes that she recognized, Fox and Yatsu, but one of the attacking Dragons had managed to latch onto Reese, staggering her. Nadir, though, had remained on target, evading the Browns and arrowing in on the bulky Red.

"Dammit, Nadir!" Ruby bellowed. "Wait!"

Arslan turned, startled, from where she was embattled by another pair of Browns, though she was handily dealing with them. She pushed them aside and struggled to reach the other Silver.

Ruby could only watch in horror as Cinder turned, a gargantuan gout of fire billowing forth to envelop the much smaller Silver. He screamed only for a moment before his smoldering form plummeted from the sky.

"Nadir!" Reese screamed desperately, trying to break the hold of the Brown on her. "No!"

And then her opponent sprouted an arrow from his eye, causing him to flinch enough for Reese to escape. She sent a grateful look towards them before she closed her wings and plunged down towards where Nadir had fallen.

"One," Blake murmured sadly.

"It's okay, Blakey," Ruby rumbled. "An arrow well spent. Arslan, still with me?"

"I am," her friend reported, slightly out of breath. "A bit wounded, unfortunately, but I shall keep up with you."

She eyed the other Silver cautiously as they raced forward, now past the battle. The Dragon had a few minor scratches along her legs, though one gash along her flank was cause for some concern.

But before she could give voice to her misgivings, movement from behind caught her attention. Another pair of Dragons, a young Red and a Brown, were in pursuit. Though they had no hope of intercepting the speedy Silvers, they would be a major problem once they all caught up with the escaping Red.

"Arslan?"

"I see them." The elder Silver gave them a wink. "Go introduce her to the Abyss, Ruby."

Arslan's wings flared out as she wheeled around abruptly, flashing by the pursuing Dragons and scoring deep, painful wounds along their flanks. The young Red opened his mouth to scorch his attacker but then gagged as an arrow flew unerringly into his maw to lodge painfully in the back of his throat. The Silver took advantage of the distraction to quickly dispatch the Brown and then latch onto the Red, the pair of them grappling furiously.

And then they were beyond sight, falling quickly behind as Ruby raced forward.

"Well, I'm out," Blake sighed, slinging her bow behind her back. "I'm not sure what help I can be, now."

"You still have your enchanted dagger, yes?"

"I do. Will it even scratch her scales?"

"Won't know till you try." Ruby turned her head slightly and offered her a grin. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to the point where you're actually able to try it."

"Weiss should be here with you," the Cat Faunus grumbled disconsolately. "At least she could throw some spells until her aura ran dry…"

"I don't want Weiss with me, I want you."

Blake sighed as she gripped her neck tighter. "But why?"

"Didn't we already go through this, Blakey? I love you."

"And I love you. Don't be worrying about me, alright? I don't want to be a hindrance."

"You never would be," Ruby retorted. "Okay, we're starting to actually get close now…"

Blake nodded, eyeing the massive form growing ever larger in their field of vision. "You think she'll use the same tactic on us as she did upon Nadir?"

"Quite likely…" Ruby watched the muscles along the Red's flanks closely. As soon as they began to bunch, she abruptly launched herself upwards. "Hang on!" she cried out.

Cinder had paused in midair, bellowing angrily before she breathed a long line of flame back towards where they had just been. Quickly reversing direction, Ruby flashed downwards, scoring a deep gash along her flank as she darted past, causing the ancient Red to roar once more.

Blake clung to her back, leaving her dagger sheathed to allow the use of both hands. Her head was on a swivel, tracking the movements of the Red as they swung back around. "She's about to breathe at us again!" she warned shrilly.

Without hesitation, Ruby flattened her wings and spun, reversing their course. She lost some of the built-up speed but was able to easily avoid the effects of the next flame attack. Instead, she climbed up into the sky once more to gain a higher altitude.

"What's she doing now?" the Silver called back.

"Um, chasing us."

"Well, we got her attention."

"Yes. Yes, we did. So, what now?"

"Well…" Ruby flashed a cheeky grin over her shoulder. "Now I kill the bitch."

"Mmm." Blake glanced over her own shoulder. "I think we have sufficient height, now…"

"Yep." With that, Ruby wheeled around, an argent streak across the sky as she arrowed in. Her flight became a wide corkscrew to throw off the Red, but eventually, she managed to dart in, lashing out but missing the large, more fragile wings. Still, Cinder's painful scream told that she did indeed feel the deep gash in her tail.

"Alright, let's try to inflict some real damage," Ruby growled determinedly. Her course changed once more, diving in towards the great Red's neck.

All four of her claws ripped into the scales and flesh as she soared past, but her flight was abruptly interrupted. She could only let out a startled _urk_ as a massive clawed hand closed around her torso, bringing her to a halt.

Unfortunately, while she may have stopped, the momentum was far too great for Blake to hang on any longer. The Cat Faunus hurtled forward, arcing towards the distant forest below them, screaming out Ruby's name as she dwindled to a speck against the lush green.

"No!" the Silver shrieked, struggling mightily but to no avail. She froze in her actions, great drops of tears forming in her eyes, as she heard the deep sound of her captor chuckling.

"Now, isn't this amusing," Cinder rumbled in amusement. "Tiny little Silver, thinking she can be a hero like her mother…"

With a furious roar, Ruby twisted and turned, lashing out with her claws and teeth. She was momentarily freed as she shredded the tendons in the back of Cinder's hand, but the other claw whipped out and scored deep slashes along her flank, drawing blood and mangling her left wing.

The Silver screamed at the agonizing pain, but before she could plummet to the ground, she was firmly grasped yet again by Cinder's uninjured claw. Black talons dug painfully into her torso as Cinder squeezed.

"Now, now, no running off," Cinder growled. The Red's enormous wings beat as they began to rise higher into the sky. "We're not done talking yet."

"Go fuck an Ogre," Ruby spat out, wincing in pain.

"Such a deplorable lack of manners." The Red chuckled once more. "Tell me, pathetic little Silver, have you ever heard of the works of Shan Yu?"

"Yeah, I heard of him," the Silver gasped as Cinder tightened her hold. It was becoming difficult to breathe, both from the grasp as well as the increased altitude. "Sadistic crap legitimized by

florid prose. I take it you're a fan?"

"Indeed. So, Ruthralynnaerias, daughter of Sumethorynnaerias…" Cinder brought her captive up to her eye level. "I'd like to introduce you to your own personal volcano." She extended her hand, relaxing her grip somewhat. "Let us see if we can meet the _real_ you."

Able to finally move somewhat, Ruby twisted and clamped her maw down firmly on Cinder's thumb before she could be dropped. The Red let out a painful howl as her appendage was severed.

Ruby spat out the blood, clinging tenaciously to the wrist of the writhing Red. Acting fast, she clambered up Cinder's arm and launched herself at her neck, her left wing flopping uselessly behind her.

Cinder's screams became louder once the Silver tenaciously clung to her new position. "Alright, you great big bitch," Ruby snarled, her talons digging in deep. "You want to meet the real me now?"

The Red spun in place even as she rose higher up, her wounded hands unable to dislodge her attacker, the furious howls almost deafening.

"You just killed the woman I loved," Ruby shouted, burrowing in deeper. "So let's go out together, shall we?"

With that, her jaws darted forward to latch onto the other Dragon's neck, right at the pulse point, crimson scales parting under her sharp teeth. The hot rush of blood washed over her, but she ignored the sensation, worrying at the wound like a Gnoll at a bone.

Though her wings began to beat slower, the Red continued to rise into the sky, higher and higher. They were well above the clouds now before her wings slowed enough that they were simply keeping them aloft and at the same altitude.

Finally, Cinder managed to wrap both of her hands around the troublesome Silver. She was far too gone in pain to be thinking rationally, and so she simply tore her away from her. As she did so, great big chunks of her flesh came off, spewing more of her lifeblood across the landscape far below.

Ruby was flung away, but she had the satisfaction of seeing the Red slump, eyes dimmed in death as her corpse began it's descent towards the ground.

The Silver closed her eyes, feeling the wind whistle past her. Her wing was hurting something fierce, so she turned as best she could and used her good wing to cover it and keep it from being jostled by the air currents.

_I hope you can be proud of me, mom… I did it, I avenged you and completed what you started…_

The tears from her eyes were flung from her before they could reach her cheeks.

_I'm so sorry, Blake, I never should have brought you along…_

She ruminated upon what could have been, what the two of them could have had together for even as brief a period of time as the Cat Faunus' lifespan allowed. Missed opportunities for adventure, warm nights together, stolen kisses, and so much more...

_If only I'd had the courage to talk to her sooner about us…_

Her thoughts shifted to the others she was leaving behind, her dear friends, and wishing with all of her might that they would have escaped from the battle alive and well.

_Ancients watch over them all, and please, for the love of Oum, will Yang and Weiss finally stay together already?_

Ruby chuckled to herself morosely at the thought. She was afraid to open her eyes, though the wind whistling in her ears was becoming louder now.

_I'm sorry to leave everyone behind, but it was worth it, so very worth it, to finally bring about the evil ancient Red's end._

_I'm scared of dying._

_But I think I'd be more scared of living, knowing I was the cause of Blake's death._

_And Yang had better not grieve too long._

_It sure is taking a while to fall. Hopefully, this won't hurt too-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. Go ahead and say it, I'm a complete shit. One more chapter and we're done… But because I have a little humanity still left in me, I'll be posting it tomorrow instead of making you wait a week, so you can at least get some closure. If you have any torches or pitchforks left over from Chapter 29, feel free to use them.
> 
> Once again, credit for Shan Yu goes to Joss Whedon's _Firefly._


	34. Survivors

**Volume 4**

**Kingdom of Vale**

"Perhaps all the dragons of your life are princesses, who are only waiting for us to show a little beauty and courage. Perhaps at the very bottom every horror is something helpless, that wants help from us"  
~ Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

"Don't fashion me into a maiden that needs saving from a Dragon. I am the Dragon, and I will eat you whole."  
~ Unknown

The snowstorm that had raged for the past couple of days had finally dwindled away, permitting the citizens of Vale to rejoin their efforts at rebuilding their city. Rubble was cleared away and a gigantic Red Dragon corpse was finally removed from the wall, with some friendly Draconic assistance, of course.

The people hadn't had much time to relax, truly, with the remnants of Orcish war parties roving about the countryside. Fortunately, allies had arrived just before the snow hit, bringing the King of Atlas himself along with a sizeable force of troops at the bequest of the recently deceased King Ozpin.

Order had been restored, and a temporary Regent named. Lady Peach, a minor noblewoman who had been absent during the events leading up to the Battle of Vale, or the Second Dragon War, depending upon who you asked, was organizing a new council and leadership. Lady Nebula Violette was named as the temporary head of the Valesian guardsmen and common soldiery. It was an especially easy choice to make once the missive arrived from the Headmistress of the Order of Artemis, naming Lady Violette as the new Head of the chapter there in Vale.

Today, though, was declared to be a public holiday. Feasts were to be held as precious stores of food were opened up for the citizenry, with promises having been secured from both Mistral and Vacuo on more supplies to be transported immediately.

In Vale Keep, though, a ceremony was to be performed.

Many minor nobles and wealthy merchants filled the cavernous audience chamber. On the dais at the front of the room sat King Ironwood, with his Royal Mage Winter behind him, as well as Regent Peach.

Yang winced softly as her arm was jostled by a portly nobleman who eased past to grab a seat. Her wounds had been numerous and slow to heal, but, fortunately, she'd received a little assistance along those lines "So, princess," she began casually. "You talk to your sister yet?"

"Briefly," her new mate replied from where she sat at her side, fingers entwined with her own. Weiss' pale blue eyes flickered over towards where her elder sibling stood, ramrod straight and staring straight ahead. "Fortunately, my younger brother, Whitley, was able to talk some sense into her, so that she would cease in her efforts to return me."

"She has that much regard for him?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Weiss giggled. "He just holds far too much over her head as blackmail. Forced her to back off."

Yang barked out a quick laugh, earning her stares from those around her. "So, do you owe him, now?"

"No," the platinum-haired Elf stated smugly. "I only agreed to cancel a few debts of his own towards myself."

"You have a strange family," the Gold sighed with a shake of her head.

"True enough. What about yours, though? Did you ever find out why Raven showed up?"

Snickering, Yang tugged her lover a bit closer. "Yup. Qrow guilt-tripped her into coming with him. They're clutchmates, so he knows all of her triggers." Her grin momentarily morphed into a frown. "Wouldn't tell me what they are, though. Cranky old Wyrm says I have to figure them out on my own."

"Well, love, it's only been a century, I'm sure after a few more you will pick up on some of them…"

The conversation around them cut off as Regent Peach stood and took a step forward. She gazed out across the room, her expression solemn but warm.

"Good people of Vale," she began in a clear, high-pitched voice. "We have been through much in the past few months. Upheaval of the type never before seen in our fair Kingdom. We have many to thank for their efforts in restoring order and safety to our population." She glanced behind her, giving the King of Atlas a grateful nod which he returned.

"Aside from our good friends of Atlas were many brave souls who risked their lives in securing our Kingdom once more." Her voice dropped slightly. "And many of those did, in fact, offer up the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our lands."

Yang stiffened, the breath hitching in her chest. The Elven Mage's grip tightened on her arm, and she knew that they both were holding in unshed tears as they bravely tried to get through the rest of this ceremony.

"While we will have a much longer commemoration to honor the fallen later this evening, that is not why we are here today. I have the honor of confirming an appointment towards one of the noble knightly Orders. Lady Nebula Violette, will you please step forward."

The indigo-haired Elven Knight walked up from the side, Dew trailing a step behind and holding a folded cloth of white in her outstretched hands. Nebula stopped a few paces away from the Regent and bent down on one knee.

"Lady Violette, I am affirming your appointment as the Head of the Valesian chapter of the Knights of Artemis. As such, I am also appointing you as the first member of the new Royal Council, alongside your current, though temporary, duties as the leader of our military."

Nebula bowed her head as Regent Peach murmured a few words over her, to which she nodded in affirmation. Once she rose back up, grey armor clinking softly, Dew draped the long white cloak across her shoulders. The back of it was adorned with the crest of the Knights of Artemis, a black crow gripping an arrow.

Instead of leaving the platform, though, Nebula merely stepped to the side with Dew remaining just behind her.

"And now, one last bit of glad tidings," Peach announced. "Lady Violette has the privilege of awarding one of those who worked so bravely on the behalf of the people of Vale."

Nebula nodded firmly once more. "Novitiate Jeanne D'Arc, please step forward."

Both Yang and Weiss dashed away their tears as they saw another pair of friends ascend the stage. The blonde now wore ornate armor very similar to the other Knights of Artemis, save that hers was enameled white with gold accents. Pacing behind her was Pyrrha in her elaborate crimson and gold armor, looking for all the world as if she might actually explode from containing the pride shining in her emerald eyes.

Jeanne dropped to one knee, much as Nebula had, but she kept her head bowed respectfully.

"Novitiate D'Arc," the Elven Knight began with a smile. "I have often wondered why it was that we did not arrive at this point sooner. It has been, in my humble opinion, long overdue.

"As a reward for your numerous acts of unwavering loyalty, bravery, leadership, cunning, and selflessness, all in the service of our Order, but more importantly, in the pursuit of the defense of Vale, I hereby name you Lady Jeanne D'Arc, a noble Knight of the Order of Artemis." The indigo-haired Elf drew her sword and lightly tapped the former squire across both shoulders. "Rise, and be accepted as our equal and sister."

As Nebula sheathed her sword once more, Jeanne rose and immediately turned to the side. The resounding _crash_ of armor as she practically leapt into Pyrrha's arms echoed throughout the audience hall. The ensuing shocked gasps as the blonde and redhead eagerly locked their lips and wrapped armor-clad limbs around each other were drowned out by the loud laughter and applause from those who knew the pair.

Yang could only roll her eyes humorously. "Well, it's about damn time."

"Yes," Weiss sighed softly, wrapping her slender arms around her lover's own arm and resting her head on her shoulder. "Yes, it is. How long do we want to stay in Vale?"

The blonde shrugged slightly, careful not to dislodge the small Elven woman. "Well… my quest is over with. It's time for me to return as I promised."

"And I shall be by your side," the platinum blonde stated smugly.

"Yeah, you will be," she chuckled, pressing a soft kiss into her wintry tresses. "From here on out, that's how it's gonna be."

"Good. I love you, Yang."

"And I you, princess. I think the lovebirds up there came up for air, maybe we can finally wrap this up…"

* * *

Concealed in the shadows, a dark figure watched with careful eyes the proceedings arrayed in the hall. Things seemed to be progressing nicely, and there was no further reason for her to linger.

As she stirred slightly, two heads turned to regard her. Lilac and pale blue eyes twinkled with mirth, the blonde going so far as to give her a cheeky wink as if she knew how such ceremonies would only serve to bore her to tears.

The dark-clad girl smirked as she gave them both a nod, then turned and slipped out of the room. Limping slightly still, the Cat Faunus Rogue sighed to herself, once again resolving to do something very, very nice for Weiss in the future. If she hadn't been given the pair of healing draughts prior to the battle when the Elven woman was redistributing the supplies, she never would have survived out in the wilderness.

_I think I managed to actually break every one of my limbs on those tree branches after my aura gave out_ , Blake thought to herself wryly. _Not to mention several ribs._ She sighed once again, though, at the memory of Regent Peach's earlier words.

"We lost so very many," she whispered morosely, pausing outside the chambers she'd been given for her convalescence. "So many unnecessary and… painful deaths…"

A tear trickled down her cheek as she closed the door behind her. Arrayed on her bed were her gear, including her enchanted bow, _Gambol Shroud_ , and two quivers stuffed full of arrows, also enchanted thanks to a certain friendly Elven Mage.

She stepped forward, passing her knapsack to run her hand along the smooth, dark wood of the bow, her fingers tracing the outline of the runes etched along the sides. Her Faunus ears perked up as someone slipped almost noiselessly into the room behind her.

"You just going to cut and run?" a soft voice inquired.

She allowed a small smile to form on her face before turning. "Not without you."

Ever so carefully, the raven-haired woman gathered her lover up and into her arms. She had to be mindful of the brunette's arm, still in a sling, as she reassured herself once more that her Ruby was still alive. Hands fisted into the back of the red cloak as her tail wrapped around them both.

"Shhh, it's okay, Blakey," the brunette reassured her softly. "I'm okay, we're both okay."

"I know, I just…" She bit back her tears, knowing that they were foolish at this point.

Every night since the battle she'd woken up, screaming from the nightmare memory of the argent form plummeting towards the ground just as she had mostly healed herself up. Blake had raced ahead, heedless of any danger or her own lingering injuries, to reach the impact site.

In her nightmares, though, instead of the presence of another Silver Dragon, glowing with a bright inner light as she struggled to keep the broken form of Ruby alive, she only came across a bloody and mangled corpse.

The Faunus lifted her head and pressed a warm kiss into the lips of her lover. She once more gave silent thanks to Oum and whatever powers there were overseeing them that Arslan had caught up with them in time. She'd never heard of Dragons having the powers to use spells, but she supposed it really shouldn't have been a surprise. The various races of Dragons were just as varied within their own kind as Humanoids were within theirs. Blake was ever so grateful that Arslan, at least, was a practiced healer and able to bring Ruby back from the brink of death.

She wasn't able to heal everything up, of course, but the brunette's arm was recovering. And it certainly didn't hold her back when the two of them shared a bed.

The Faunus woman blushed slightly as she parted from the kiss, her body warming not just from the affection but from the memory of the cozy nights they'd spent together so far.

She cleared her throat, though from the knowing smirk on Ruby's face there was no use even denying how much the effusive brunette affected her. "So," she murmured, feigning nonchalance. "When are you going to tell your Matriarch that you're still alive?"

Ruby's smirk transformed into a wide grin as she shrugged her good shoulder. "Eh, she's a Dragon. I'll give it a few decades, then you and I can just move into the Hold together."

Chuckling, Blake pulled her into one last kiss before they gathered their belongings and ventured out into the world of Remnant.

She reflected on just how insane it was, really, to have developed feelings for someone who could outlive her to such an extent. But, even with foreknowledge, she wouldn't have changed a thing.

And before she got to the point where it would be a concern, their vast difference in lifespan, the both of them had a lot of living to do. It was a wide, dangerous world, but she was ready and willing to face it with the even more dangerous and beautiful creature in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I still a complete shit? Yeah, I am, especially for playing with everyone's emotions. That wraps things up, though, landing on a solid note with Freezerburn, Arkos, and Ladybug. Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey. It's been the epic, gritty, high-adventure fantasy story I've always wanted to tell, and with Dragons to boot. I've had so much fun writing it and a blast reading the reviews.
> 
> I hope to see you all in more of my stories, including my ongoing _RWBY / Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines_ story, _**Blood of the Rose**_. I have another one lined up that I will be working to completion before posting up, it's a RWBY / Suicide Squad mashup sort of tale, inspired by a hell of a lot of other stories drifting about on here. Also, don't forget to check out my holiday special that will be starting over the following weekend and for the week leading up to Christmas Eve, _**Seven Days of Yule**_. I'm going to write every chapter based off of my RWBY stories or series that I've written. And yes, the second-to-last chapter of my holiday special will be revisiting these folk.
> 
> Also, let me leave you with a recommendation if I may, if you're as much a fan of Dragons as I am, please give _**[Wings of Dust](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12204634/1/Wings-of-Dust)**_ a try. It's by one of my very favorite authors, _Solora Goldsun_ , where our favorite characters from RWBY are Dragon Riders rather than using semblances. It's off to a wonderful start, give it a read!
> 
> Stay shiny, my friends, and let me leave you with one last parting gift:
> 
> _"Listen my hatchling, for now you shall hear  
>  Of the only seven slayers a dragon must fear._
> 
> _"First beware Pride, lest belief in one's might_  
>  Has you discount the foeman who is braving your sight.  
> Never Envy other dragons their wealth, power, or home  
> For dark plots and plans will bring death to your own. 
> 
> _"Your Wrath shouldn't win, when spears strike your scale_  
>  Anger kills cunning, which you will need to prevail.  
> A dragon must rest, but Sloth you should dread  
> Else long years of napping let assassins to your bed. 
> 
> _"'Greed is good,' or so foolish dragons will say_  
>  Until piles of treasure bring killing thieves where they lay.  
> Hungry is your body, and at times you must feed  
> But Gluttony makes fat dragons, who can't fly at their need. 
> 
> _"A hot Lust for glory, gems, gold, or mates_  
>  Leads reckless young drakes to the blackest of fates.  
> So take heed of this wisdom, precious hatchling of mine,  
> And the long years of dragonhood are sure to be thine." 
> 
> ~ E.E. Knight, Dragon Champion


End file.
